Heart disease was rife among affluent ancient Egyptians

"Heart disease plagued human society long before fry-ups and cigarettes came along, researchers say. The upper classes of ancient Egypt were riddled with cardiovascular disease that dramatically raised their risk of heart attacks and strokes. Doctors made the discovery after taking hospital X-ray scans of 20 Egyptian mummies that date back more than 3,500 years. The scans revealed signs of atherosclerosis, a life-threatening condition where fat and calcium build up in the arteries, clogging them and stiffening their walls. On a visit to the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo, one of the researchers had been intrigued by a nameplate on the remains of Pharaoh Merenptah, who died in 1,203BC. The plate said the pharaoh died at the age of 60 and suffered diseased arteries, arthritis and tooth decay. The US and Egyptian experts got permission to examine the mummified pharaoh and others that were on display or stored in the museum's basement...The findings were announced at a meeting of the American Heart Association in Orlando and are published in the Journal of the American Medical Association - Guardian