{
  "id": 2103918,
  "title": "Artery damage in adults in their 20s highlights need for early cardiovascular risk assessment",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/artery-damage-in-adults-in-their-20s-highlights-need-for-early",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-20T09:00:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-artery-adults-20s-highlights-early.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent study published in Circulation: Population Health and Outcomes reveals that nearly 80% of young adults, with an average age of 23, exhibit signs of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome (CKM syndrome). This syndrome, which includes obesity, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease, is categorized into stages from 0 to 4 based on risk factors. Researchers found that those with more advanced stages of CKM syndrome displayed early signs of arterial injury, as determined through ultrasound imaging of the carotid arteries. Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones, a cardiologist at Boston Medical Center, explained that CKM syndrome and the Life's Essential 8 cardiovascular health score provide complementary insights into identifying young adults at risk for arterial injury and future cardiovascular events. The Life's Essential 8 framework, developed by the American Heart Association, includes two major areas: health behaviors and health factors, aimed at measuring, monitoring, and improving cardiovascular health at any age. While the study acknowledges its cross-sectional design and limitations, it underscores the urgent need for early cardiovascular risk assessment and prevention, particularly in young adults.",
  "summary": "A new study found that nearly 8 out of 10 young adult participants, with an average age of 23 years, had cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome (CKM syndrome), according to independent research published today in Circulation: Population Health and Outcomes.",
  "key_points": [
    "Nearly 80% of young adults (average age 23) show CKM syndrome signs.",
    "Advanced CKM stages indicate early arterial injury in ultrasound scans.",
    "Life's Essential 8 framework aids early risk assessment and prevention."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The finding that young adults with advanced cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome show early signs of arterial injury highlights the need to assess cardiovascular risk earlier in life to prevent future cardiovascular events.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}