How healthy are Würzburg hearts?

A large-scale study by cardiologists from the German Center for Heart Failure (DZHI) and researchers from the Institute for Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry at the University of Würzburg (IKE-B) has been running in Würzburg since January 2014. Professor Stefan Störk, head of clinical research at the DZHI, and Professor Peter U. Heuschmann, director of the IKE-B, want to work with their study team to find out how often heart failure occurs in the Würzburg population and which factors trigger the disease. The results are surprising.

In this study, around 5000 Würzburgers were examined at least once, most of them twice, according to a press release from the DZHI. The first major evaluation has now been published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. The study is surprising: Almost every second person has at least one known risk factor for the development of heart failure, according to the report. And there are indications that there are other, previously unknown influencing factors that would weaken the heart.

The study participants were selected by the city of Würzburg at random

The study investigates how common the pre-stages of heart failure occur in the population between the ages of 30 and 79, how they relate to risk factors such as lifestyle and previous illnesses, and how often and how quickly those affected move to a higher stage of heart failure. The study participants were randomly selected by the city of Würzburg and written to by the study team. Those who had no known heart failure were screened twice in about four years.

42 percent of those examined had one or more risk factors for heart failure, but showed a normal appearance of the heart on ultrasound. According to the report, the most common risk factor, at 45 percent, is high blood pressure. In second place is 20 percent overweight. The researchers found a large proportion of these risk factors in younger people from 30 to 39 years of age; Eleven percent had high blood pressure, ten percent had obesity.

Another 17 percent of the study participants are already in the second stage

A further 17 percent of the study participants are already in the second stage: a structural change in the heart was found in the ultrasound that does not yet cause any symptoms. However, this does not mean that 60 percent of the population has to be declared heart-sick, the message continues. However, the two stages are warning signs that should be taken seriously.

About every third participant in stage B had none of the known risk factors that would qualify for stage A. This subgroup seems to question the notion of the development of cardiac insufficiency and, with an average age of 47, was strikingly young and predominantly female. According to the press release, the reasons for this are still unclear. A statistical coincidence is rather unlikely due to the evaluation methodology, the study doctors said.

The investigation has been interrupted due to the corona pandemic

The follow-up examinations of the study participants should take place every three to four years. The first wave was already in full swing: more than 3000 test subjects had their follow-up appointment. Due to the corona pandemic, however, the investigations have currently been interrupted in the interests of the safety of everyone involved.

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• Wurzburg

• Ernst Lauterbach

• General (not subject-specific) universities

• Epidemiology

• obesity

• Heart failure

• Heart disease

• Institutes

• Professors

• City of Wuerzburg

• University hospitals

• Scientists

• Overweight

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