New research from the Cleveland Clinic has found
that estimated “physiological” age based on exercise stress testing performance
i.e. “how well you respond to exercise” is a better predictor of mortality when
compared to chronological (actual) age.
And, you can now calculate your physiological age
based on your exercise performance during an exercise stress test using the
formula “A-BEST” (Age Based on Exercise Stress Testing).
The formula takes into account three factors:
Exercise capacity, how the heart responds to exercise (chronotropic competence)
and how the heart rate recovers after exercise.
The study included 126,356 patients, who were
referred to the Cleveland Clinic between 1991 and 2015 for their first exercise
stress test. The average age of study participants was 53.5 years and 59% were
men.
The individual components of A-BEST were each
associated with mortality. After an average follow-up of 8.7 years, A-BEST was
a significantly better predictor of survival than chronological age, even after
adjusting for sex, smoking, body mass index, statin use, diabetes,
hypertension, coronary artery disease and end-stage kidney disease. Fifty-five
percent of males and 57% of females between the ages of 50 and 60 years had
their estimated age younger than their chronologic age.
These findings are published online Feb.13, 2019 in
the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology
Rather than the results of the components
considered individually, calculating the physiological age of their patients
will help clinicians to motivate their patients to exercise more and stay fit
as it provides an estimate of longevity.
It’s like a wake-up call, which makes one realize
the need to take necessary action to remedy the situation.
Exercise more to live longer….
(Source: ESC Press
release, Feb.14, 2019; Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2019 Feb 13)
Dr KK Aggarwal
Padma Shri Awardee
President Elect Confederation of Medical
Associations in Asia and Oceania
(CMAAO)
Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications
President Heart Care Foundation of India
Past National President IMA
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