Heart Disease Prevalent Among Ancient Mummies
Mummies from 3,500 years ago were found to be afflicted with heart disease, which has called all modern understanding of heart disease and its risk factors into question, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions of 2009.
"We think of it as being caused by modern risk factors," such as fast food, smoking and a lack of exercise, but the findings show that these aren’t the only reasons arteries clog, said Dr. Randall Thompson, a cardiologist at the Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City who presented the study.
The study involved a unique mix of imaging experts, Egyptologists and preservationists who searched for the most direct evidence available.
With the use of six-slice computed X-ray tomography (CT) scans, they thoroughly examined 20 mummies being held in the Museum of Antiquities in Cairo, Egypt to see if there was any heart and blood vessel tissue and to see its condition. By analyzing the skeletons, the team was able estimate the age at death, names, occupations and social ranking for most of the mummies. Seven of eight of those who died when they were older than 45 had calcification and thus atherosclerosis, while only 2 of 8 of those who died earlier had calcification. There was no difference between men and women in terms of vascular calcification.
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A build-up of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other substances in the inner walls of blood vessels, known as definite atherosclerosis, was discovered in three mummies and probable atherosclerosis in three more. Calcification was substantially more common in the mummies estimated to be 45 years or older at the time of death, with no difference in calcification between men and women.
"Rich people ate meat, and they did salt meat, so maybe they had hypertension (high blood pressure), but that’s speculation," Thompson said.
With modern diets, "we all sort of live in the Pharaoh’s court," said another of the researchers, Dr. Samuel Wann of the Wisconsin Heart Hospital in Milwaukee.
The most ancient Egyptian that had atherosclerosis was Lady Rai, who died approximately between 30 to 40 years of age around 1530 BC. She was the nursemaid to Queen Ahmose Nefertiri. This means that Lady Rai would have lived about 300 years before the time of Moses and 200 years before King Tut.
Among those whose identities could be determined, all were of high socioeconomic status, mostly serving in the court of the Pharaoh or as priests or priestess.
The researchers concluded that atherosclerosis is not a disease unique to modern man, but rather was typical even among humans 3,000 years ago.
"We were struck by the similar appearance of vascular calcification in the mummies and our present-day patients," said researcher, Dr. Michael Miyamoto of the University of California at San Diego. "Perhaps the development of atherosclerosis is a part of being human."
The study’s findings appear in the November 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and were presented Nov. 17 at the Scientific Session of the American Heart Association at Orlando, Florida.
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Image Caption: The mummy of Esankh, an Egyptian man who lived between 1070 B.C. and 712 B.C., undergoes CT scanning. Credit: Dr. Michael Miyamoto / UC San Diego
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