Arterial Calcium Buildup Affects All Humans

A new study shows that calcium build-up in the arteries leads to coronary heart disease in multi-ethnic groups--blacks, Hispanics, and Chinese--even though the amount of calcium build-up in these populations is low relative to Caucasians.

These are new findings from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) study, which evaluated 6,814 white, black, Hispanic, and Chinese men and women aged 45 to 84 years with no prior heart disease for coronary calcium using computerized tomography (CT) scanning, and followed them for an average of 3.5 years. Previous MESA findings showed that the amount of coronary calcification was greatest among whites, followed by Chinese (77%), Hispanics (74%), and blacks (69%). After adjustment for age, education, lipids, body mass index (BMI), smoking, diabetes, hypertension, treatment for hypercholesterolemia, gender, and scanning center, compared with whites, the relative risks for having coronary calcification were 0.78 in blacks, 0.85 in Hispanics, and 0.92 in Chinese.

The new findings regarding the multi-ethnic nature of cardiovascular disease due to calcium buildup were presented by Diane Bild, M.D., M.P.H, from the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI; Bethesda, MD, USA), at the annual scientific session of the American College of Cardiology (ACC), held during March 2007 in New Orleans (LA, USA).

The researchers stated that if a predictive value of calcified coronary artery plaque for cardiovascular events proves sufficient to justify screening a segment of the population, then a standardized cardiac CT protocol could provide reproducible results for health care providers and the public.


Related Links:
U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute