There is some good news for younger men. It would appear that the amount of vertex balding plays an important part in the level of risk a man had for developing coronary artery disease. The less hair loss, the lower the risk. The risk of developing coronary artery disease increased by:

48% with extensive vertex baldness

36% with moderate vertex baldness

18% with mild vertex baldness

A receding hairline did not show a significant impact on risk. However, men with both frontal and crown-top baldness were shown to have a 69% increased risk of developing coronary artery disease than those with a full head of hair. Men who experienced hair loss on only crown of their head had a 52% higher risk for developing the disease, and those with only frontal baldness were 22% more likely to develop heart disease. The reason for the connection between baldness and heart disease is not fully known. Some physicians think there may be a link between an increased sensitivity to male hormones, insulin resistance and inflammation of blood vessels that either directly or indirectly affect both the heart and hair.