Cardiovascular disease claims nearly one-third of all lives globally, yet men face a silent and growing threat. New research reveals that males develop heart disease up to seven years earlier than women, with cardiovascular risk beginning at age 35. On International Men’s Health Week, Dr. Aravind Badiger, Technical Director at BDR Pharmaceuticals, emphasizes the urgent need to shift from curative to preventive heart care before symptoms emerge. This article explores why men are twice as likely to contract cardiovascular disease during midlife, identifies the four modifiable risk factors driving 99% of cardiac events, and provides actionable steps for early detection, hormone-related insights, and exercise requirements that men must meet to protect their heart health.
Cardiovascular Disease remains the leading cause of death around the globe, responsible for nearly one-third of all mortalities across the world. Although heart disease can affect anyone irrespective of their gender, new findings suggest that males develop CVD at an earlier age and have a higher rate of complications due to late screening, unhealthy habits, and less involvement in preventive care.
On this International Men’s Health Week, it is necessary to alter the focus from curative health care to preventive health care since new studies indicate that male heart disease starts long before the symptoms show themselves.
Heart Disease Begins Early in Men
It has been noted that heart disease develops early in men compared to women. According to a Northwestern Medicine study, males experience increased cardiovascular risk starting at the age of 35 – almost seven years earlier than females. The study followed more than 5,000 adults for several decades and showed that men are twice as likely to contract cardiovascular disease compared to women during midlife.
Many men in their 30s believe they are too young to be concerned about heart disease, leading to a heart attack or stroke happening years earlier, without them knowing. Plaque deposition inside arteries, hypertension, insulin resistance, and constant inflammatory processes can damage one’s cardiovascular health without any obvious signs being present.
How To Identify The Risk Factors
While there are genetic components, cardiovascular diseases are largely caused by modifiable risk factors. Studies conducted recently, involving more than nine million people, have revealed that nearly 99 percent of cardiovascular events, such as myocardial infarction, strokes, and congestive heart failure, were caused by only four risk factors:
- Hypertension
- High cholesterol
- Hyperglycemia or diabetes
- Smoking
Significantly, more than 90 percent of those suffering from cardiovascular diseases had more than two of these risk factors years before suffering an incident.
Lack of physical activity at work, improper nutrition, obesity, stress, disrupted sleep, and drinking have been identified as important causes of cardiovascular burden among men. The increasing incidence of diabetes and hypertension among young people in India and other developing countries has added to this burden.
What Role Do the Hormones Play?
In recent years, there have been studies concerning the role that sex hormones play in cardiovascular conditions. The results of a recent study conducted by Johns Hopkins Medicine regarding people with type 2 diabetes indicated that hormones can have a considerable impact on their cardiovascular conditions in the long term.
It was discovered that men who had higher testosterone levels had a lower chance of developing cardiovascular problems. On the other hand, high levels of estradiol increased cardiovascular risks. Although hormones themselves do not impact heart functions directly, these findings could partially explain why heart disease occurs in different ways in men and women.
In addition, there is a need for individualized risk assessments in relation to men with diabetes and metabolic disorders.
Exercise: A Very Effective but Undervalued Remedy
Despite modern medicine and technologies, physical activity is one of the most powerful ways to minimize the risks of developing cardiovascular diseases. However, recent research studies demonstrate that males require significantly more exercise to get the same benefits as females.
The article that was published in the journal Nature Cardiovascular Research reveals that the participants of the study, women, have reduced the risks of having coronary heart disease by approximately 30%, provided they engaged in exercises for around 250 minutes per week. The male participants needed to engage in physical activities for around 530 minutes to see a similar result.
People are recommended to exercise for no less than 150 minutes per week, along with strength training sessions at least two times. Walking, cycling, swimming, jogging, weight lifting, and participation in team sports all help to improve cardiovascular performance.
Signs That Men Must Not Overlook
Heart health presents one of the most difficult issues for patients and doctors alike because the warning signs are frequently overlooked until an emergency develops. If men have any of the following symptoms, they must get themselves checked immediately:
• Any chest pain, pressure, or discomfort
• Shortness of breath while engaged in normal activity
• Experiencing fatigue without reason
• Dizziness and fainting spells
• A problem with the heartbeat
• Pain in the jaw, neck, shoulder, or left arm
One must understand that heart conditions can be difficult to detect and do not necessarily involve obvious symptoms.
A Prevention-First Approach
Prevention is key to our heart’s future, not treatment. Men must take proactive steps to get cardiovascular tests done even when they are young, especially if there is any family history of conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, being overweight, and high blood pressure.
Some easy steps to prevent heart ailments include:
- Checking levels of blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar
- Sustaining a normal weight
- Exercising regularly
- Consume a heart-friendly diet, including plenty of fresh produce, whole grains, and lean meats
- Avoid smoking tobacco
- Moderate alcohol intake
- Get enough sleep
With the adoption of early screening practices and a healthy lifestyle, along with increased awareness of its warning signs, men can effectively lower their risks related to heart disease and consequently have a higher chance of living a long life.
