New research from the American Heart Association (AHA) has found a potential link between prediabetes and heart attacks.
The heart health nonprofit issued a press release on its “preliminary” findings on Monday, May 16, noting that a full article will be published in a peer-reviewed journal in the near future.
“Prediabetes, if left untreated, can have a significant impact on health and can develop into type 2 diabetes, which is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease,” said AHA investigator Dr. Akhil Jain, a physician resident at Mercy Catholic Medical Center in Darby, Pennsylvania.
Jain said in the news release that the AHA “has been focused on defining risk factors” for young adults, “so that future scientific and health policy guidelines can better address cardiovascular disease risks related to prediabetes.” “.
The AHA analyzed health records from the National Inpatient Sample, a public database of hospitalizations. Researchers reportedly found that 7.8 million heart attack hospitalizations in 2018 were related to young adults ages 18 to 44.
Prediabetic young adults, defined as those with blood sugar levels “higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes,” are 1.7 times more likely to be hospitalized for a heart attack than their non-prediabetic peers, according to AAH Research.
Hospital patient records analyzed by the AHA also revealed that 68.1% of prediabetic young adults had high cholesterol and 48.9% were considered obese. However, there was no observable “increased incidence” of cardiac arrest or stroke.
According to the AHA, black, Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander men who were considered prediabetic and in the young adult age range were “more likely to be” hospitalized for heart attacks.
The AHA has reported that about 88 million American adults are prediabetic and about 29 million are under the age of 45.
According to the AHA, the risk of prediabetes and heart attack can usually be reduced through “lifestyle changes,” including weight loss and exercise.
In a statement, Jain said it was “critical to raise awareness” about prediabetes screening and screening for young adults, as it can help “prevent or delay” the development of type 2 diabetes, cardiac seizures and other cardiovascular events. associates.
“Our study should be considered a foundation for future research to clearly establish the burden of heart disease in young adults with prediabetes, given the prevalence of prediabetes in nearly one-third of adults in the United States,” he stated.
Fox News Digital previously shared 10 foods nutrition experts recommend to support heart health, including avocados, whole grains and beans.
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