Named a non-obvious risk factor for premature death

The absence of calcium deposits in coronary arteries not only protects against cardiovascular diseases but also reduces the overall risk of early death. This conclusion was reached by scientists from Intermountain Health Clinic in Salt Lake City (USA).

As reported by BAKU.WS, the research results were presented at the American Heart Association (AHA) conference.

Scientists analyzed medical records of 40,018 patients at high risk for cardiovascular diseases. All of them underwent a PET/CT stress test. This diagnostic method combines positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT). It helps identify pathological processes such as tumors, inflammations, or infections.

Among the participants, 7,967 showed no signs of coronary artery calcification, while 32,051 patients had various levels of calcium deposits. For five years, researchers tracked mortality in both groups. It turned out that at any level of calcification, the overall risk of early death increased by two to three times. The scientists also noted that among patients with calcification, only a quarter died from cardiovascular diseases.

"We don't know exactly yet why calcium in the arteries correlates with mortality from non-cardiac causes. The next step will be to study the causes of death and their exact classification," noted Jeffrey L. Anderson, MD and lead author of the study.