Lifestyle Factors and Coronary Artery Calcification

Abstract

The effective prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a global health challenge. Adopting a combined primary (prevention of the first episode of coronary heart disease or stroke) and primordial (prevention of the causal risk factors of CVD) prevention strategy is the best approach to prevent CVD. Most importantly, the primordial prevention strategy should in the first place be to promote cardiovascular health across individual and population levels by improving the underlying causal risk factors for CVD (i.e., unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, obesity, and cigarette smoking). Epidemiological evidence indicates that maintaining favorable underlying risk factors (lifestyle factors) is associated with a lower risk of incident CVD. Prevention of early atherosclerotic vascular disease is also an important strategy to prevent CVD. However, there has been limited research on the association between lifestyle factors and early atherosclerotic vascular disease (i.e., coronary or carotid atherosclerosis) across race and gender groups in population-based studies. This article briefly reviews whether lifestyle factors relate to subclinical atherosclerosis as assessed by coronary artery calcification in asymptomatic individuals.

Fitness attenuates the prevalence of increased coronary artery calcium in individuals with metabolic syndrome

“…1,2 Individuals with clusters of cardiovascular risk factors, such as the metabolic syndrome (MetS), are reported to have an increased progression of CAC over time. 3,4 CAC is also more prevalent in older age and in men. 5 Clinically, CAC adds predictive power to traditional risk factors, mainly in medium-high risk score patients 6 and is thought to be a marker of a more advanced stage of CAD compared with carotid intima media thickness.…”

Cardiorespiratory fitness and its association with adiposity indices in young adults

“…Studies have shown that high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness in young adults is associated with a lower risk of having calcification in the coronary arteries and prevents the development of early atherosclerotic vascular disease. 3 Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior leads to accumulation of excess adipose tissue and a state of chronic inflammation which is a major factor in the development of non-communicable diseases (NCD). Data from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2013 shows that approximately 15% of the youth bulge in Pakistan is between the ages of 18 and 25 years, comprising mostly of college and university students.…”

Cardiorespiratory Fitness in University Level Volleyball Players and its Correlation with Body Fat

“…Studies have shown that high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness in young adults are associated with a lower risk of having calcification in the coronary arteries and prevent the development of early atherosclerotic vascular disease [24]. Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour lead to accumulation of excess adipose tissue and a state of chronic inflammation which is a major factor in the development of non-communicable diseases.…”