A simple ultrasound scan of blood vessels in the neck could help detect men at increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
British researchers said they believe GPs could consider scanning the carotid arteries of patients over 60.
These large arteries supply blood to the brain, face and neck and are usually elastic. But scientists said they can stiffen with certain diseases and age, leading to high blood pressure, heart failure and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
The scan is similar to ultrasounds offered during pregnancy and uses a small handheld device that is moved gently over the neck.
The results reveal the flexibility of the carotid arteries, which run up either side of the neck, and how much they stretch and expand with each heartbeat.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, was led by University College London (UCL) and included 1,631 men aged 71 to 92.
It found that a quarter of those with the least flexible arteries were 2.5 times more likely to develop heart failure compared to those with the most flexible arteries.
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Dr Atinuke Akinmolayan, who led the research from UCL and is now a GP, said: “The carotid ultrasound is a safe, cheap and painless investigation, and our findings suggest it may be able to provide an early warning sign for heart failure.
“More research is needed, especially to see if this works for women, but this is something GPs could look at offering to people over the age of 60, where possible and believed needed.”
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The research was part-funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research along with the British Heart Foundation (BHF), which estimates that around 920,000 people in the UK are living with heart failure.
Professor Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the BHF, said: “The findings of this study are interesting and show that stiffening of arteries is associated with increased risk of heart failure, most likely due to the heart having to work harder against the resistance caused by these stiffer arteries.”
The research suggests that for every 0.16 millimetre increase in the thickness of men’s vessels, heart attack risk increased by about 29%.
Typically, people only receive this type of scan if they have suffered a stroke or are at risk of one.
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Researchers said a scan can identify a build-up of fatty material which can cause a stroke by breaking off and travelling into the brain or by narrowing the arteries and stopping blood reaching the brain.
Experts also said that when the carotid arteries become less flexible, they do not expand properly to let blood through, which can raise blood pressure and can eventually lead to heart failure.
