Low birthweight may directly increase later heart risk – study
28 Aug 2023
Low birthweight should be added to the list of risks for heart disease, urges a research paper presented to the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2023.
While a link between heart conditions and birthweight has been previously established, the new study appears to identify that the effect is not dependent upon the intrauterine environment.
Risk of heart disease is assessed via cholesterol levels, smoking habits, family history, blood pressure and diabetes. New evidence suggests risk may be influenced by a wider variety of factors.
Part-funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), Honorary Clinical Research Fellow at Imperial College London and NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow at the University of Cambridge Dr Maddalena Ardissino and her team examined data from c.300,000 participants from the Early Growth Genetics consortium and the UK Biobank.
Low birthweight – generally, below 2.5kg (5.5lbs) – but also preeclampsia and gestational diabetes may impact heart problems. However, birthweight’s direct effect was not previously identified. The research team established that reduction in birthweight by c 480g resulted in a 20 per cent increased risk of heart disease.
Ardissino commented: “Low birthweight is a common pregnancy complication. Beyond its many short-term risks, our research highlights how it can influence long-term cardiovascular health in an important way.”
Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation Professor Sir Nilesh Samani added that the research demonstrated weight at birth was “inextricably linked” to a person’s risk of developing heart disease in their lifetime.
He stated: “Information about patients’ birthweight could be a valuable tool to help doctors build up a better picture of patients’ risk of heart disease, helping identify those who could benefit from closer monitoring or targeted intervention to help reduce their risk of heart disease.”
Defibrillator access a ‘postcode lottery’: Residents in England and Scotland’s most deprived areas can face a one mile round trip to the nearest 24/7 accessible defibrillator says BHF-supported research presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress. This identified a relationship between the distance to a defibrillator and an area’s level of deprivation.
It pointed out that nearly three in 10 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happened on the weekend and four in 10 between 6pm and 6am in England. People living in the most deprived areas of England and Scotland are on average respectively 99 and 317 metres further away from their nearest 24/7 defibrillator than those in the least deprived areas.
Pic: Mart Productions
