Keep your heart young - recognize risk factors and counteract them at an early stage

How the heart stays young even in old age

Often cardiovascular problems in old age are accepted as more or less "normal" signs of aging, although they are in fact endpoints of a creeping disease process, experts from the German Society for Internal Medicine e.V. (DGIM) report. But here you can counteract in most cases, so that the heart stays healthy longer and so-called "old-age diseases" can be avoided.

"Obesity and lack of exercise cause blood lipid levels to skew and increase the risk of diabetes" and "often associated with high blood pressure, damage to the vessel walls and arteriosclerosis," says the DGIM. This ultimately increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke. At a press conference in Berlin, the experts explained how this process can be slowed down and, in particular, how the heart can be kept healthy longer.

Heart problems are often accepted as a normal symptom of aging, but most could be countered and further problems could be avoided. (Image: hriana / fotolia.com)

Do not just accept the signs of aging

For a long time it seemed inevitable that the heart becomes weaker and more vulnerable in old age. But today "it becomes increasingly clear that one does not have to accept such signs of aging", says Prof. Dr. med. med. Ursula Müller-Werdan of the Berliner Charité in the press release of the DGIM. According to the expert, the gradual aging processes that take place in the various organs and the seemingly sudden onset of aging diseases are based on similar mechanisms of development. According to the DGIM, these origins can certainly be influenced.

Avoid known risk factors

"Those who avoid the known risk factors for cardiovascular disease, also prevents premature aging of the heart and vessels," the experts said. The list of harmful influences is today generally known. In particular, cigarette smoke, overweight and physical inactivity are factors that individuals can avoid or take action against. For other risk factors such as diabetes, existing high blood pressure, chronic inflammatory processes or high LDL cholesterol levels avoidance is not always possible, but they should be recognized early and treated consistently to protect the heart, reports the DGIM.

Cardiovascular diseases can be mutually dependent

According to the experts, all of these factors initially impair the function of the vessel walls and promote hypertension and arteriosclerosis. However, this also increases the risk of various cardiovascular diseases, which can mutually condition and intensify, says Prof. Müller-Werdan. This process, called cardiovascular continuum, ultimately also affects the heart muscle, which can no longer be adequately supplied with blood.

Heart attack out of the blue

As soon as the first signs of the heart become noticeable, the underlying damage is often already well advanced, warns Prof. Müller-Werdan. The heart attack sometimes seems out of the blue, out of complete health. But in fact, this is preceded by a long process that could well have been interrupted.

Early attention to a healthy lifestyle

If they have established cardiovascular damage such as atherosclerosis, cardiac arrhythmia or heart failure, they are "usually chronic" according to the DGIM and "their course can then only slow down, but not reverse." According to Professor Dr. med. Cornel Sieber, Chairman of the DGIM, therefore, should pay attention to a healthy lifestyle as early as possible and to consistently avoid risk factors. Also, so that people spend the years that they live longer on average, preferably in good health. (Fp)