INDEPENDENCE, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research presented today at the International Union of Angiology (IUA) conference in Sydney, Australia, strongly supported the value of preventive screenings for atherosclerosis—deposits of cholesterol that harden the arteries— and other vascular diseases. These findings illustrate the importance of identifying asymptomatic individuals at risk early and targeting them for aggressive risk factor modification, which can significantly improve health outcomes for patients. The research was presented by members of Life Line Screening’s international Scientific Advisory Network.
“Atherosclerotic arterial disease which is responsible for heart attacks and strokes develops slowly and silently for many years before it manifests as disease. Its detection and silent progression can be recorded accurately with ultrasound scans,” said Professor Andrew Nicolaides, MS, FRCS, FRCSE, PhD (Hon), Emeritus Professor of Vascular Surgery, Imperial College. “These findings show that the presence of such silent deposits places an individual at high risk and in need of prevention – which with modern medical therapy can reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes by 50%.”
Early signs of vascular disease such as atherosclerotic plaques and narrowing of the arteries are indicators of risk and can be easily detected through ultrasound screenings. This means that by screening a patient with appropriate risk factors (e.g. age, smoking, high blood pressure or cholesterol, family history of heart disease, etc.), the patient’s physician can identify asymptomatic individuals at risk as early as possible, and target them for aggressive risk factor modification – refining the traditionally accepted Framingham Risk Factor approach, and dramatically reducing morbidity and mortality from heart attack and stroke in the process.
Highlights from the research presented include:
- Identifying asymptomatic individuals at risk early and targeting them for aggressive risk factor modification can reduce disability and death from myocardial infarction (MI) (heart attack) and stroke by 50%.
- For chronic kidney disease (CKD), patients with asymptomatic carotid artery disease have a 200% greater risk of developing CKD.
- High blood pressure, carotid artery disease, peripheral artery disease, and history of stroke or heart disease double the risk of developing CKD.
“Ultrasound screening showing a patient a real-time image of atherosclerotic deposits in their arteries is a powerful motivational tool to prompt lifestyle modification and ensure compliance to treatment,” says Dr. Andrew Manganaro, FACC, FACS, Chief Medical Officer of Life Line Screening. “There is a growing body of research that points to vascular screening as a model that can detect subclinical disease at a time when preventive approaches can have the best outcome. Unfortunately, we cannot depend on conventional risk factor documentation alone – particularly when you consider that 80% of strokes occur in people who otherwise show no symptoms or warnings until it is too late.”
Life Line Screening is a global leader in preventive care. Since the company’s inception in 1993, the company has helped save thousands of lives from preventable deaths by early detection of AAA, AF and CKD. Each year, 20 million people in middle and old age die due to vascular disease. Atherosclerosis screening allows risk factors that have gone unnoticed for years to be identified, allowing doctors to have the right risk stratification for the patient and consider the best treatment option accordingly. 80% of strokes occur without warning in asymptomatic patients, so they can only be significantly reduced by finding and treating the disease before it happens.
U.S. Study Findings
A recent study conducted by Life Line Screening found that:
- Nine out of 10 U.S. cardiovascular physicians see preventive screening for cardiovascular disease, particularly with patients that have two or more key risk factors (age 55+, tobacco use, high blood pressure, obesity, etc.) as a valuable health tool.
- Nearly seven out of 10 (68%) of respondents don’t believe enough is being done to raise awareness of atherosclerosis as an underlying cause of stroke, heart disease and other cardiovascular problems.
“These findings support our long-held position that practicing cardiovascular physicians, the specialists who see patients every day, recognize the importance of screening appropriate patients to educate them and their physicians about their cardiovascular health before symptoms occur,” said Dr. Manganaro.
Life Line Screening is a global leader in preventive care. Since the company’s inception in 1993, the company has helped save thousands of lives from preventable deaths by early detection of AAA, AF and CKD. Each year, 20 million people in middle and old age die due to vascular disease. Atherosclerosis screening allows risk factors that have gone unnoticed for years to be identified, allowing doctors to have the right risk stratification for the patient and consider the best treatment option accordingly. 80% of strokes occur without warning in asymptomatic patients, so they can only be significantly reduced by finding and treating the disease before it happens.
About Life Line Screening
Life Line Screening was established in 1993, and has since become the world’s leading provider of preventive health screening. Highly trained clinical teams bring affordable screenings to convenient, neighborhood locations. These non-invasive, painless tests help people identify their risk for stroke, vascular diseases or osteoporosis early enough that they and their physicians can begin preventive procedures. Visit the web site at www.lifelinescreening.com or call 1-800-697-9721.