When do clogged arteries start in healthy people?
Prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis in 3-92-year-old Finns. The 3-generational cardiovascular risk in young Finns study.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Scientists checked neck arteries in Finnish people from age 3 to 92 to see when clogs (plaques) start and what causes them.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
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Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
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Evidence Score
A snapshot of a population at a single point in time. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine the direction of cause and effect.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Scientists checked neck arteries in Finnish people from age 3 to 92 to see when clogs (plaques) start and what causes them.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 542 / 44
Evidence Score
A snapshot of a population at a single point in time. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine the direction of cause and effect.
Publication
Authors
Raitakari OT, Koskinen JS, Pahkala K, Rovio S, Mykkänen J, Kartiosuo N, Stenbacka S, Lisinen I, Loo BM, Lehtimäki T, Kähönen M, Juonala M, Laitinen TP, Jokinen E, Kaikkonen J, Tossavainen P, Viikari JSA
Related Content
Claims (4)
Almost half of adults in Finland have buildup in their neck arteries that gets much more common as people get older — by age 70, nearly everyone has it, but kids don’t have it at all.
About 4 out of every 10 young adults with early signs of artery clogging don't have high cholesterol or high blood pressure—so our usual heart risk checks might be missing a lot of people who already have early heart disease.
If you're under 40 and have high 'bad' cholesterol or high blood pressure, you're more likely to have buildup in the neck arteries that supply your brain — a sign that heart disease might be starting early.
People with plaque in their neck arteries are much more likely to have heart disease — about 8.6 times more likely — even after accounting for age and gender.