Exploring Healthy Aging and High-Risk Factors

Hosts Mitsuaki Sawano, MD, Shun Kohsaka, MD, Kentaro Ejiri, MD, and Satoshi Shoji, MD, welcome Dr. Kunihiro Matsushita of Johns Hopkins University to discuss findings from the ARIC study on cumulative cardiovascular risk and healthy arterial aging. Dr. Matsushita highlights that maintaining favorable levels of cholesterol, blood pressure, and avoiding smoking from mid- to late-life is strongly associated with the absence of coronary artery calcium (CAC) at older age—a marker of healthy arterial aging. The study emphasizes the long-term impact of sustained risk factor control and its implications for preventive cardiology and public health.