Kiel researchers have developed the clearest picture yet of the factors that put people at risk of visiting their GP with unexplained chest pain, potentially helping to better prevent future heart attacks. be. This study European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

It is estimated that at least one million adults in the UK visit their GP each year because of chest pain. Even with tests, the cause remains a mystery for many people and no diagnosis is available. Research shows that people with this type of “unexplained” chest pain have a higher risk of developing heart health problems in the future than those who don’t. Despite this, very few people receive preventive treatment.

Now, researchers at Kiel University have identified an important risk factor that increases the likelihood that people with unexplained chest pain will develop heart and circulatory diseases. The research team believes their findings can help doctors identify patients most at risk and recommend preventive treatments, such as statins, and lifestyle advice to thwart future health problems, such as heart attacks, before they occur. I look forward to being able to provide this.

Researchers have developed a risk calculator that can identify people who are at high risk of developing heart and circulatory disease in the future and pinpoint the key factors that influence that risk.

These tools were developed and validated using anonymised information from the health records of more than 600,000 people with unexplained chest pain registered with UK GPs between 2002 and 2018. I did. All records used were linked to hospital and mortality data, allowing researchers to track which records were which. Patients were hospitalized or died from cardiovascular disease. Median follow-up was at least 5 years.

It found that people with diabetes, atrial fibrillation (a common type of arrhythmia) and being treated for high blood pressure were at the highest risk of developing heart and circulatory disease.

Nearly half of those most at risk were smokers or living with obesity. Modeling shows that if all current smokers living with obesity were helped to lose weight and quit, the average 10-year risk for this group would drop from about 22% to about 16%. I did.

The study also suggests that general practitioners should be cautious in using current risk prediction tools for this group, as they have been shown to underestimate risk. There is. Comparing their model with the existing QRISK3 risk calculator, they found that for his one-third of patients whose 10-year risk was less than 10% according to QRISK3, with the new model he had a 10% risk. It turns out that there are risks that exceed.

Although more work would be required before risk calculators could be used by physicians, the researchers say their findings represent an important opportunity to identify those at highest risk for future heart and circulatory disease. They say this could help both doctors and patients take early action to stop these diseases. In their footsteps.

Professor Mamas Mamas, Professor of Cardiology at Keele University and Consultant Cardiologist at University Hospitals North Midlands NHS Trust, was one of the researchers involved in the study. He said: “Even without a diagnosis, chest pain should serve as a warning signal that patients may benefit from taking steps to reduce their risk of future health problems.”

“Here we have shown that it is possible to identify high-risk people using information from health records alone. We believe these findings are a first step towards better management of risk factors in this group. We hope this will serve as a step forward and motivate patients to take better care of their health.” Achieving a healthier lifestyle and encouraging doctors to take early action. ”

Professor Brian Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Health data is a vital research resource that can change the way we tackle some of the biggest challenges in healthcare. Although it may put some people with diabetes at greater risk, this study could help more people avoid heart disease in the future.

“With the NHS under extraordinary pressure, it is more important than ever that we respond to warning signs early to prevent avoidable heart attacks and keep people healthy.”