SYDNEY, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Health experts are urging a shift in how coronary artery disease, the most common form of heart disease, is treated, advocating for early prevention and detection rather than focusing on late-stage interventions, according to a paper published on Tuesday in The Lancet.

Heart disease risk begins as early as in utero, with signs detectable in children and adolescents, said lead author Sarah Zaman, principal research fellow at the Westmead Applied Research Center, University of Sydney.

"It's often thought that heart disease is a condition that develops in older age, but in fact the risk starts in utero," Zaman said, adding early-stage coronary artery disease often goes unnoticed, missing the chance to prevent its progression to serious conditions like heart attacks and strokes.

A global commission, involving over 20 international medical experts from Australia, China, Britain, Thailand, the United States and Saudi Arabia, called for increased investment in early diagnostic tools like advanced CT scans to identify plaque buildup before acute symptoms appear.

Heart disease is mostly treated in advanced stages with interventions like stents, but experts warn this reactive approach misses a key prevention window, the study said, adding coronary artery disease, the leading global cause of death, is expected to claim 10.5 million lives annually by 2050.

Addressing lifestyle factors could prevent up to 80 percent of heart disease, the authors said, adding that eliminating risks like smoking, poor diet, and inactivity could potentially save 8.7 million lives annually.

Prof. Will Parsonage from the Australian Center for Health Services Innovation at the Queensland University of Technology called for re-focus on prevention and early disease detection, citing the growing burden on health systems.

Monash University's Prof. Stephen Nicholls said people need to shift their perspective and turn back time on heart disease.

"By viewing it as a lifelong disease and not just as a mid-late life problem, we will save lives by intervening sooner," Nicholls said. Enditem

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