Embargoed for Release at 5 p.m. We've long known that family history is a risk factor for heart disease, but it hasn't been clear when cardiovascular abnormalities first become evident. Participants with a parental history of premature heart attack had vessels that were 11 percent thicker than the control group and 55 percent less reactive. Thickened artery walls are an early sign of atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in the arteries that leads to heart attacks and strokes.
Reactivity is an indicator of how well the vessels function.
For that test, researchers measured blood flow in the brachial arteries, the major vessels in the arm, both before and after the arteries were constricted with a blood pressure cuff. In a healthy artery, blood flow increases after the constriction. Decreased reactivity is a sign of atherosclerosis. This technology allows us to detect vessel changes decades before the buildup of plaque results in signs or symptoms such as heart attack or stroke. This could be an important tool for evaluating patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease.