You check your messages, grab a coffee, power through the day. Nothing feels alarming.
Serious illness seems like something that belongs decades into the future, not something that could already be quietly forming in the background. But the body keeps score, even when you are not paying attention.
A large international study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests that first-time heart attacks and strokes are almost never random.
Researchers analysed health records from around nine million adults in South Korea and nearly 7,000 people in the United States.
Also read: Symptoms that may indicate reduced heart function
Their goal was to see whether patients who later developed coronary heart disease, heart failure or stroke had earlier warning signs.
They found that more than 99 percent had at least one major, documented risk factor before their first serious event.
The risks that matter
The researchers focused on four well-established drivers of cardiovascular disease. Even one of them significantly increased future danger:
- High blood pressure
- Elevated cholesterol
- Raised blood sugar, including prediabetes or diabetes
- Smoking, past or present
High blood pressure was defined as 120/80 mmHg or higher. High cholesterol meant levels of at least 200 mg/dL or treatment with cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Also read: Why sleep problems become more common after 60
A preventable crisis
For many people, these conditions develop silently. There are often no early symptoms, which helps explain why younger adults frequently underestimate their vulnerability.
The findings reinforce a simple but urgent message from the research team: prevention cannot wait.
Regular health checks and early management of even one abnormal reading may dramatically reduce the likelihood of a first, life-altering cardiac event.
Sources: JACC and Times of India
Also read: Oral cancer may begin with minor, overlooked symptoms
Also read: These drinks may interfere with your blood pressure medication