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Cardiovascular health and arterial stiffness: the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study
G E Crichton1, M F Elias2, M A Robbins2
11] Nutritional Physiology Research Centre, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia [2] Centre de Recherche Public Santé, Centre d'Etudes en Santé, Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg, Strassen, Luxembourg.
Insights
Maintaining ideal cardiovascular health, encompassing behaviors and factors, is linked to reduced arterial stiffness. Achieving at least five ideal American Heart Association (AHA) health metrics significantly lowers pulse wave velocity (PWV), a key indicator of arterial stiffness.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Arterial Stiffness
- Public Health
Background:
- Ideal cardiovascular health is a new American Heart Association (AHA) construct for reducing cardiovascular disease.
- Arterial stiffness is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
- The relationship between multiple cardiovascular risk factors/behaviors and arterial stiffness is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between the AHA's ideal cardiovascular health construct and arterial stiffness.
- To assess arterial stiffness using pulse wave velocity (PWV) and pulse pressure.
- To evaluate the impact of ideal health behaviors and factors on arterial stiffness.
Main Methods:
- The study evaluated AHA health metrics (smoking, BMI, physical activity, diet, cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose) in 505 participants of the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study.
- Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and pulse pressure were measured as outcome measures.
- Data were analyzed to correlate cardiovascular health metrics with arterial stiffness indicators at 4- to 5-year follow-up.
Main Results:
- Better cardiovascular health, including both ideal factors and behaviors, was significantly associated with lower arterial stiffness.
- Participants with at least five ideal AHA health metrics exhibited significantly lower PWV (9.8 m/s) compared to those with two or fewer (11.7 m/s).
- This association remained statistically significant after adjusting for demographic and PWV-related variables (P = 0.004).
Conclusions:
- Adherence to ideal cardiovascular health metrics is associated with reduced arterial stiffness.
- Promoting the AHA's ideal cardiovascular health components can be a strategy to mitigate arterial stiffness.
- Maintaining multiple ideal cardiovascular health metrics is crucial for preserving vascular health and reducing cardiovascular disease risk.
Abstract:
Ideal cardiovascular health is a recently defined construct by the American Heart Association (AHA) to promote cardiovascular disease reduction. Arterial stiffness is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The extent to which the presence of multiple prevalent cardiovascular risk factors and health behaviors is associated with arterial stiffness is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between the AHA construct of cardiovascular health and arterial stiffness, as indexed by pulse wave velocity (PWV) and pulse pressure. The AHA health metrics, comprising of four health behaviors (smoking, body mass index, physical activity and diet) and three health factors (total cholesterol, blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose), were evaluated among 505 participants in the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study. Outcome measures were carotid-femoral PWV and pulse pressure measured at 4- to 5-year follow-up. Better cardiovascular health, comprising both health factors and behaviors, was associated with lower arterial stiffness, as indexed by PWV and pulse pressure. Those with at least five health metrics at ideal levels had significantly lower PWV (9.8 m s(-1)) than those with two or less ideal health metrics (11.7 m s(-1)) (P < 0.001). This finding remained with the addition of demographic and PWV-related variables (P = 0.004).
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