A large international study conducted by Northwestern Medicine and Yonsei University in South Korea reveals that more than 99% of people who experience a heart attack, stroke, or heart failure had at least one modifiable risk factor well before the event. The study analyzed health records spanning over ten years from more than nine million South Korean adults and nearly 7,000 Americans.
The research focused on four key risk factors: elevated blood pressure (≥120/80 mm Hg), high cholesterol (≥200 mg/dL), elevated fasting glucose or diabetes diagnosis, and history of smoking. Nearly all patients had at least one of these “nonoptimal” risk factors, with more than 93% having two or more.
Senior author Dr. Philip Greenland of Northwestern University emphasized the importance of controlling these modifiable factors to prevent cardiovascular events and improve longevity.
