Heart Health Month
Do you remember that song by Roxette, “Listen To Your Heart”?
I bet some of you know every line to this 1988 banger so let’s sing a few lines together: “Listen to your heart - there's nothing else you can do - I don't know where you're going, and I don't know why, but listen to your heart.”
NOW, you can keep on singing but we’re going to stop here and hand it over to Harvard to tell us why we should listen:
A recent study from Harvard Medical School has identified a significant link between increased intramuscular fat and coronary microvascular dysfunction, leading to higher risks of adverse cardiovascular events.
Key Findings:
Increased Cardiovascular Risk: For every 1% increase in fatty deposits within muscle tissue, there is a 7% higher risk of heart-related death, heart attack, or heart failure.
Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction (CMD): Elevated levels of intermuscular fat are associated with CMD, a condition affecting the small blood vessels in the heart, which can lead to serious cardiovascular complications.
Risk Beyond BMI: This association persists regardless of an individual's body mass index (BMI), indicating that even those with a normal BMI but higher intermuscular fat are at increased risk.
Potential Mechanisms: Intermuscular fat may contribute to inflammation and insulin resistance, which can damage blood vessels, including those supplying the heart.
Implications for Assessment: The findings suggest that evaluating intermuscular fat could be a more effective measure for assessing cardiovascular risk than relying solely on BMI.
Recommendations: While specific strategies to reduce intermuscular fat are still under investigation, maintaining a healthy lifestyle through balanced diet and regular exercise is advised to mitigate cardiovascular risk.
These insights underscore the importance of looking beyond traditional metrics like BMI to assess heart disease risk and highlight the need for further research into targeted interventions for reducing intermuscular fat.