Most people develop atherosclerotic plaques late in life, within 3 to 5 years, which may facilitate preventive measures, reports PLoS ONE.
Researchers from the Karolinska Institutet have studied the age of atherosclerotic plaques based on the carbon isotope C14 they contain. These plaques were removed during an operation to open the carotid arteries in one of the largest hospitals in Stockholm – Sodersjukhuset. Patients were admitted to the ward when the development of atherosclerosis was already obstructing the blood supply to their brains, triggering transient episodes of hypoxia, known as TIA. TIAs can sometimes lead to a stroke.
In the 50s and 60s, as a result of nuclear tests, a lot of C14 radioactive carbon appeared in the atmosphere, the level of which declines over time – it can be used in the dating of biological samples. The accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) technique was used to date the lamellae, which is accurate and does not require large samples. The measurements were carried out by specialists from the University of Uppsala.
They found that the plaques were relatively young – with an average patient age of 68, they were on average less than 10 years old, and the analysis showed that in most cases they formed within 3 to 5 years. This means that preventing plaque formation and associated TIA episodes is also possible at a relatively late age – in your XNUMXs, for example.
A Swedish study also found an association between the age of plaques and blood insulin levels, and greater instability of recently formed plaques compared to older plaques (unstable plaques increase the risk of complications). According to the authors, the results should be confirmed during studies on a larger group of patients. (PAP)