New data indicate that atherosclerosis, the narrowing of arteries caused by plaque buildup, may begin much earlier in life than previously assumed, according to Medscape. The German medical outlet reported on Thursday that signs of the condition can appear in adults under the age of 30.
Coverage of the same findings across several outlets points to a similar figure: roughly one in 13 adults in that age group already shows plaques in their arteries, often without any symptoms. The reports describe the condition at this stage as silent, meaning those affected may carry early vascular changes without knowing it.
The reports, including summaries carried by aponet.de, AD HOC NEWS, Martin Cid Magazine and it boltwise, all center on the same study and its central claim that plaque formation begins sooner than the medical consensus has held. The outlets frame the finding as a challenge to the assumption that atherosclerosis is mainly a concern of older age.
Because the available material does not include the full study text, details such as the exact size of the study population, the imaging methods used to detect the plaques, and the age range covered remain unclear. The figure of one in 13 adults under 30 is consistent across the coverage but is not accompanied here by further methodological information.
What to watch next: whether the full study is published with its methods and whether the findings prompt any change in guidance on when cardiovascular risk screening should begin.
