Angel Herraiz-Adillo

Postdoc

My research mainly focuses on the early in life determinants of cardiovascular health and atherosclerosis in middle age.

Presentation

I am a registered nurse in Primary Care with a postdoc research position at Linkoping University. I have studied how the “Life´s Essential 8”, a novel score created by the American Heart Association, conveys subclinical atherosclerosis within the SCAPIS project (Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study).

In addition, I have studied the early in life determinants of cardiovascular health and atherosclerosis in middle age, particularly: cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, BMI, BMI during pregnancy, cognitive ability and blood pressure.

About me

CV

Postdoctoral position at Linköping University, Sweden, 2022-onwards.
Family and Community Nursing Specialist, Spanish Government, 2023.
PhD in Public Health and Physical Activity, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, 2015-2018. Doctoral thesis: The diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease in Primary Care.
Master’s in Public Health Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, 2014-2015.
Degree in Nursing, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, 1995-1999.

Publications

Ángel Herraiz-Adillo, Viktor H. Ahlqvist, Sara Higueras-Fresnillo, Kristofer Hedman, Emil Hagström, Melony Fortuin- de Smidt, Bledar Daka, Cecilia Lenander, Daniel Berglind, Carl Johan Östgren, Karin Rådholm, Francisco B. Ortega, Pontus Henriksson (2024)

Physical fitness in male adolescents and atherosclerosis in middle age: a population-based cohort study

British Journal of Sports Medicine , Vol.58 , s.411-420 Continue to DOI

Ángel Herraiz-Adillo, Sara Higueras-Fresnillo, Viktor H. Ahlqvist, Daniel Berglind, Maria B. Syrjälä, Bledar Daka, Cecilia Lenander, Johan Sundström, Francisco B. Ortega, Carl Johan Östgren, Karin Rådholm, Pontus Henriksson (2024)

Life's Essential 8 and Life's Simple 7 in Relation to Coronary Atherosclerosis: Results From the Population-Based SCAPIS Project

Mayo Clinic proceedings , Vol.99 , s.69-80 Continue to DOI

Ángel Herraiz Adillo, Viktor H. Ahlqvist, Sara Higueras-Fresnillo, Daniel Berglind, Patrik Wennberg, Cecilia Lenander, Bledar Daka, Mattias Ekstedt, Johan Sundstrom, Francisco B. Ortega, Carl Johan Östgren, Karin Rådholm, Pontus Henriksson (2023)

Lifes Essential 8 and carotid artery plaques: the Swedish cardiopulmonary bioimage study

Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine , Vol.10 Continue to DOI

2026

Katarina Korwel, Katarina Pihl Lesnovska, Ángel Herraiz-Adillo, Pontus Henriksson, Henrik Hjortswang (2026)

Prevalence and risk factors for malnutrition based on the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a population-based study Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, Vol. 73, Article 102988 (Article in journal)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clnesp.2026.102988

Xiangyu Qiao, Vanessa William Toma, Jing Wang, Ángel Herraiz-Adillo, Simon Söderholm, Daniel Berglind, Susanna Calling, Bledar Daka, Mats Martinell, Frida Bergman, Pontus Henriksson, Bijar Ghafouri, Martin Ulander, Carl Johan Östgren, Claudio Cantù, Wen Zhong, Fredrik Iredahl (2026)

Genetic predisposition to coffee consumption and the association with the early risk of atherosclerosis Scientific Reports, Vol. 16, Article 9652 (Article in journal)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-44122-2

Peter Edholm, Patrik Wennberg, Marcel Ballin, Carl Johan Östgren, Bledar Daka, Daniel Berglind, Cecilia Lenander, Viktor H. Ahlqvist, Karin Rådholm, Pontus Henriksson, Ángel Herraiz-Adillo (2026)

Active commuting and atherosclerosis in a population-based sample of middle-aged adults: the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage study (SCAPIS) British Journal of Sports Medicine, Vol. 60, p. 248-257 (Article in journal)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2025-110403

Ángel Herraiz-Adillo, Viktor H. Ahlqvist, Kristofer Hedman, Sara Higueras-Fresnillo, Emil Hagstrom, Melony Fortuin-de Smidt, Bledar Daka, Cecilia Lenander, Anton Olsson, Daniel Berglind, Carl Johan Östgren, Karin Rådholm, Francisco B. Ortega, Pontus Henriksson (2026)

Associations of Adolescent BMI and Physical Fitness With Cardiovascular Health in Middle Age: A Population-Based Prospective Study of Swedish Men American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Vol. 70, Article 108128 (Article in journal)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2025.108128

Ángel Herraiz-Adillo, Karin Rådholm, Fredrik Iredahl, Carljohan Carlhäll, Nahuel Roemkens, Mikael Forsgren, Olof Dahlqvist Leinhard, Peter Lundberg, Stergios Kechagias, Nils Dahlström, Patrik Nasr, Mattias Ekstedt, Pontus Henriksson (2026)

Validity of the International Fitness Scale (IFIS) and its associations with cardiometabolic health and body composition in adults with type 2 diabetes: A cross-sectional study PLOS ONE, Vol. 21, Article e0339364 (Article in journal)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0339364

Research

Research projects

Ideal cardiovascular health in SCAPIS: prevalence, determinants and health effects of ideal cardiovascular health in a Swedish population-based study.
Clinical utility of the International Fitness Scale to estimate cardiovascular risk in two population-based cohort studies: the CIFIS project.
Associations of migration and socioeconomic status with body weight, gestational weight gain and self-rated health before, during and after pregnancy.

Coworkers

Pontus Henriksson

Senior Associate Professor

Karin Rådholm

Senior Associate Professor

Organisation

Division of Society and Health (SH)

We are an interdisciplinary division with research and education in several subject areas. The division consist of two units, Health Care Analysis and Public Health Science, and includes the Master´s programme in Medical Science.

Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences (HMV)

The research areas at HMV include experimental basic research to clinical, social and public health research. We conduct high-quality education in the sought-after care professions.

Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (MEDFAK)

The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences conducts research and education within medicine, healthcare and public health.

News

Physician measures a young man's blood pressure.

High blood pressure in adolescence a silent risk

A blood pressure as low as 120/80 mm Hg in adolescence is linked to a higher risk of atherosclerosis in middle age. These findings indicate that high blood pressure early in life plays an important role in the development of coronary artery disease.

Body weight important in pregnancy – regardless of country of birth

Overweight is a major contributor to complications during pregnancy and childbirth – this applies to both women born in Sweden and women who have moved here, something that has not been well researched so far.