A method to determine the "true age" of the heart has been found

Breakthrough in cardiology: British scientists have developed a method for determining the "true age" of the heart using MRI. The results of this revolutionary research have been published in the prestigious journal European Heart Journal Open.

A large-scale international project combined the efforts of medical centers in the UK, Spain, and Singapore. The study covered 557 volunteers with various health conditions – from completely healthy people to patients with hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.

Using advanced magnetic resonance imaging technologies, scientists conducted a detailed analysis of the heart muscle, measuring critically important parameters: size, volume, and strength characteristics of the heart chambers. Based on the data obtained, a unique formula was derived that allows determining the functional age of the heart with high accuracy and comparing it with a person's biological age.

The results were quite revealing: in healthy participants, the heart age almost perfectly coincided with their chronological age. However, in people with chronic diseases, significant "aging" of the heart muscle was observed. "A 50-year-old patient with high blood pressure may have a heart functioning like that of a 55-year-old person," explained the study leader, cardiologist Pankaj Garg from Norwich Medical School.

The new methodology opens up broad prospects for early diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. Researchers also note an important psychological aspect: knowing the real "age" of one's heart can be a powerful motivator for patients. This contributes to a more responsible approach to health – adjusting diet, increasing physical activity, and carefully following medical recommendations, which ultimately significantly reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes.