Most in US have higher 'heart age,' CDC says

Sept. 02--It was her third heart attack in June that finally convinced Margaret Quiller, 60, that she should start listening to her doctor and change her lifestyle. She said she has cut out "greasy stuff" from her diet and is walking and exercising more, especially at University Hospital's Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.

"Next time, I might not be so lucky," Quiller said.

In an effort to get Americans to focus on preventable risk factors for heart disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took a first-ever national look at "heart age," the age of the heart increased or decreased by various risk factors. And most won't like the result.

About 70 percent of Americans have a heart age that is older than their chronological age, based on calculations out of the Framingham Heart Study. In fact, almost half of men and about 40 percent of women have a heart age at least five years or more older than their real age, the CDC said in its monthly Vital Signs report.

"(That) is scary and it should be because it means you are at higher risk of a heart attack or stroke," said CDC Director Thomas Frieden. "But it's also empowering because there are a few simple steps you can take to reduce your heart age. You can't turn back the clock in general but you can turn back the clock on your heart age."

The Framingham calculations look at age, systolic blood pressure, Body Mass Index and preventable risk factors like smoking or whether the person has blood pressure or diabetes under control. The results varied by age, sex and ethnicity, with men's hearts on average eight years older and women's hearts five years older but blacks average 11 years older for both men and women.

States in the South fared worst of all, with Mississippi and Louisiana the worst at more than 10 years older for men and nine years older for women but South Carolina was not far behind at 9.1for men and 8.4 for women. Georgia averaged 8.2 years older for men and 7.5 years older for women, compared to national averages of 7.8 for men and 5.4 for women. Each year, nearly 800,000 die in the U.S. from heart disease and strokes and the CDC is on a five-year campaign to reduce those deaths by 1 million, which it is calling the Million Hearts initiative.

"For every American, learning your heart age can be a clear call to take charge of your health," Frieden said.

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