Your heart age is a calculation that shows your personal risk for heart disease, specifically heart attack and stroke.
If your heart age is greater than your chronological age, the risk is greater. A lower heart age potentially indicates less risk for heart disease.
The American Heart Association reported in January 2021 that heart disease still ranks as the leading cause of death worldwide.
Heart Age Research Study
The Heart Age concept grew from the Framingham Heart Study that began in 1948. Thousands of individuals have participated in multiple studies which identified common risk factors for cardiovascular and heart disease.
“This was a tremendous effort and the absolute foundation for our understanding of how to limit the risk of heart attacks, heart failure, and stroke,” says Evan Jacobs M.D., a Conviva primary care doctor. Jacobs is board certified in several specialties including cardiovascular disease.
These risk factors now serve as the basis for determining your heart age and have guided doctors like Dr. Jacobs. “We were also able to develop from the study the initial targets for controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels.”
How to Calculate your Heart Age
In order to calculate your heart age, you’ll need to know a few facts about your health profile:
- Your Body Mass Index. You can calculate here.
- Your cholesterol levels which are found through blood test results from your primary care doctor.
From there, you can calculate your Heart Age.
http://static.heart.org/riskcalc/app/index.html#!/baseline-risk
The Heart Age Calculator is meant to be an initial assessment or tool, rather than a formal diagnosis for each individual.
“Print a copy of your heart age report and bring it to your primary care doctor to discuss ways you can best lower your risk,” says Jacobs.
If you need a primary care physician, contact your local Conviva Care Center and meet our team.
Top Risk Factors for Heart Disease:
https://newsroom.heart.org/news/heart-disease
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-attack/expert-answers/heart-age/faq-20322777
https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/heart-age-calculator
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.htm