The size of THIS body part predicts whether you’ll survive a heart attack
THOUGHT the size of your arm muscle only demonstrates how much you can lift at the gym?
New research has found it may determine whether you will survive a heart attack.
A study of 599 older adults with cardiovascular disease has found a link between the circumference of their arm muscles and their survival rates of the disease.
The research, , found over the course of about a year and a half 72 of the adults, who were all aged 65 or older, had died but those with larger arm circumferences had better outcomes.
Researchers took measurements of the mid-upper arm and calf circumferences, both are used to help determine muscle mass, and used them to determine patients muscle function.
Data suggested both measurements are associated with the chances of dying of heart disease, however the researchers found that only arm circumference showed "significant independent prognostic capabilities".
They concluded those with a larger arm muscles, compared to calf muscles, were more likely to survive a heart attack.
Furthermore, researchers found the link between arm circumference and surviving a heart attack could be a simple measure to determine the risk factor in older patients with heart disease.
Exercise has long been cited as a way to minimise the risk of heart disease - so declines in muscle mass may not be a surprising indicator of the disease.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the UK and worldwide.
Official NHS statistics show it is responsible for more than 73,000 deaths in the UK each year and about 1 in 6 men and 1 in 10 women die the disease.
NHS guidelines recommend eating a healthy, balanced diet, being physically active, quitting smoking and controlling blood cholesterol and sugar levels to stave off heart disease.
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Keeping your heart healthy can also reduce the risk of other diseases such as stroke and dementia.
The loss of muscle in older people has been well documented and can lead to a loss of function and weakness or even disability.
Muscle loss, referred to as sarcopenia, has also been associated with chronic conditions like increased insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.
in older adults found it could be caused by declines in hormones, increased inflammation, declines in activity, and inadequate nutrition.
It found that exercise and improved nutrition could help tackle muscle deterioration but more needed to be done to advance pharmaceutical treatments.