A carotid ultrasound, like the ultrasound for pregnant women, is quick and painless, using a small handheld device moving gently over the neck to scan the arteries underneath. When around 1,600 men over the age of 70 received the scan, it showed the “flexibility” of their carotid arteries—how much they stretch and expand with each heartbeat.

Researchers found that the quarter of men with the least flexible carotid arteries were 2.5 times more likely to develop heart failure than those with the most flexible carotid arteries. These people could be encouraged by doctors to eat more healthily, do more exercise and take medications, if needed, to help reduce their risk of developing heart failure.