A long-term medical study has found that the risk of cardiovascular disease in men begins to rise significantly around age 35, several years earlier than the age at which doctors typically start preventive screening.
When Do Gender Differences Appear?
The study tracked the health of over 5,100 individuals for more than 30 years, from their early twenties into late adulthood. It found that heart risk was similar between men and women until the mid-thirties, after which men’s risk increased rapidly compared to women.
Main Cause: Coronary Artery Disease
Most of the gender gap in health risk was attributed to coronary artery disease, which leads to fat buildup in the arteries and is the leading cause of heart attacks.
The results showed that men reached a 5% risk of developing heart disease about seven years earlier than women—around 50.5 years compared to 57.5 years for women.
Do Traditional Risk Factors Explain the Difference?
Even after accounting for known risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, smoking, physical activity, and weight, the gender difference persisted. This suggests that other biological or social factors remain not fully understood.
Implications for Prevention
Currently, many heart screening programs focus on adults aged 40 and older. The study indicates that men should start screenings earlier, before their mid-forties, to detect early warning signs and reduce future risks.
Researchers also noted that women tend to visit doctors more frequently at younger ages, which may help detect health issues earlier than in men.
Key Takeaways
- The critical age for men’s heart risk to increase is around 35 years.
- Men reach significant heart risk more than 7 years earlier than women.
- Early health screening can make a substantial difference in preventing cardiovascular disease and reducing the risk of future heart attacks.
