Kids' Blood Vessels May Predict Later Heart Disease
Changes in small blood vessels of children could provide an early warning about an increased risk of heart disease later in life, says a U.K. study.
These changes in small blood vessels called microvessels can be identified in children as young as age 11, long before heart disease actually develops, according to researchers at the Institute of Cardiovascular Research in Dundee.
They examined the health and performance of microvessels in a group of 11-to-14-year-olds who showed no clinical signs of poor health. But the researchers found that 20 percent of the youngsters already showed deterioration in microvascular health, BBC News Online reported.
Being able to identify children who are at risk for cardiovascular disease later in life would enable doctors to take steps to counter it, the researchers said.
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