Health · Medical Research · 2 hrs ago
Artery scans find silent plaque in about 1 in 13 adults under 30
Researchers used artery scans to look for plaque in 16,808 adults aged 18 to 70 in Denmark and Spain.
The study found silent atherosclerosis in 8.7% of men and 6.7% of women aged 18–29, or about one in 13 overall.
Silent atherosclerosis means plaque has built up without a person necessarily having symptoms.
Plaque can develop years before symptoms and is linked to higher risks of heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular problems.
Across participants with complete scans, 57.1% had plaque in at least one examined artery, but the researchers said this figure does not represent the wider population because of how participants were recruited.
The study found plaque more often in men than women overall, while the gap narrowed as women’s prevalence rose after age 40.
The study examined baseline data, and no next steps were specified.
A study found silent atherosclerosis in 8.7% of men and 6.7% of women aged 18–29 who had complete artery imaging.
The research analyzed imaging data from adults aged 18 to 70 in Denmark and Spain.
Across participants with complete imaging, 57.1% had plaque in at least one examined vascular territory.
Overall prevalence was higher in men than women, but the gap narrowed as women’s prevalence rose after age 40.
The researchers said the age-stratified recruitment means the overall prevalence estimate does not represent the population as a whole.
- Who
- The REACT Investigators studied 16,808 adults aged 18–70.
- What
- Researchers assessed silent atherosclerosis using imaging of the carotid, femoral and coronary arteries.
- When
- The study was published on November 10, 2026. The timing of the imaging is not stated.
- Where
- Participants were recruited in Denmark and Spain.
- Why
- The researchers aimed to estimate the prevalence and distribution of silent atherosclerosis by age and sex.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Participants
- 16,808 adults aged 18–70
- Complete imaging
- 13,186 participants
- Silent atherosclerosis
- 57.1% of participants with complete imaging
- Ages 18–29
- 8.7% of men and 6.7% of women had silent atherosclerosis
- Study locations
- Denmark and Spain