People with strong chest and back less likely to have a heart attack, analysis suggests
Summary
Researchers from the University of Edinburgh used artificial intelligence (AI) to study hospital scans of 1,722 patients with chest pain and found that people with denser chest and back muscles had a lower chance of having a heart attack or dying within ten years. The study suggests that better quality muscle, likely linked to regular exercise, may reduce heart health risks.Key Facts
- The study analyzed scans of patients mostly in their 50s using AI to look at chest and back muscle density.
- Denser muscles appear brighter in scans because they contain less fat and reflect more X-rays.
- For every 10-point increase in muscle brightness on the scan, the risk of heart attack dropped by 31%, and the risk of death within ten years dropped by 39%.
- The actual size of muscles did not affect heart attack risk; muscle quality or composition mattered more.
- Researchers believe people with better muscle density are likely more physically active.
- The study suggests that routine heart scans might one day identify people with poorer muscle quality who need more exercise or heart care.
- The research was published in the journal Radiology and partly funded by the British Heart Foundation.
- More research is needed to fully understand how muscle density and exercise affect heart health.
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