Renowned cardiologist Jagat Narula, MD, PhD, from UTHealth Houston, has been examining the prevalence of heart disease in ancient civilizations to better understand its origins and potential preventability. By studying 4,000-year-old mummies and living hunter-gatherer tribes, Narula aims to shed light on whether heart disease could be eradicated in modern times.
The World Heart Federation identifies cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of death globally. Factors such as unhealthy diets and lifestyles contribute to atherosclerosis—a condition characterized by fat deposits in coronary arteries—leading to heart attacks. Common risk factors include high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, high blood sugar, and smoking.
Narula noted that thousands of years ago, processed food and pollution were absent. "Around 3,000 to 4,000 years ago... we must not have suffered from heart disease at that point in time," he said. However, research by the HORUS Group revealed otherwise. The group studied nearly 300 mummies from various regions including Egypt and Peru using CT scans to detect arterial calcification.
Surprisingly, more than one-third of Egyptian mummies showed signs of coronary atherosclerosis. "They were all nobility and elites; they had evolved from hunter gatherers to a civilized society," explained Narula. Similar findings were observed among other ancient populations who lived with indoor smoke exposure due to cooking practices.
In contrast, studies on the Tsimane people in Bolivia showed remarkable heart health despite their advanced age. The Tsimane's active lifestyle includes walking up to 20,000 steps daily while consuming minimal meals without smoking exposure.
As president of the World Heart Federation, Narula is spearheading initiatives like CARDIO4Cities alongside Novartis Foundation aimed at reducing urban risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Ann Aerts from Novartis emphasized a data-driven approach targeting large urban populations.
"There is no one-size-fits-all approach... stakeholders must look at the risk factor prevalence in their regions," stated Narula regarding improving global heart health strategies.
Additionally collaborating with Economist Impact and Novartis on the City Heartbeat Index project aims at raising awareness about contributing factors towards cardiovascular diseases across major cities worldwide through evidence-based interventions promoting equitable healthcare access globally.
