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You probably already know that hypertension and cholesterol can increase the risk of heart disease. But other health problems, such as psoriasis, the flu and even sleep disorders, can also hurt your heart.
"When you look at all these conditions, they all have one thing in common: inflammation," says Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, MD, director of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago and spokesman for the American Heart Association. (AHA). Inflammation – when your immune system is saturated – can damage blood vessels, thus accelerating the progression of heart disease. Getting such conditions, however, can go a long way. Here is what you need to know.
Influenza and pneumonia
Research suggests that influenza and pneumonia can increase heart risks for some. For example, a study published in 2018 in the New England Journal of Medicine found that people already hospitalized for a heart attack were six times more likely to have a heart attack a week after catching the flu, compared 39, previous year. or the year after.
"The flu causes inflammation throughout your body, including your heart," says Lloyd-Jones.
What to do: Be sure to get an annual flu shot and, if any of the groups are recommended, you are up to date with the pneumonia shot (two shots are usually given a year apart).
If you have an illness and already have heart disease, be sure to continue taking any prescribed heart medication.
And "if you feel exhausted, start sweating, or suddenly feel what you're feeling like extreme indigestion, do not just say that you're feeling bad about the flu," says Lloyd-Jones. Consult your doctor immediately or go to the emergency room.
Type 2 diabetes
People with type 2 diabetes are two to four times more likely to die of heart disease than those who do not, according to the AHA. And 68% of people over age 65 with type 2 diabetes die of heart disease, while 16% die from a stroke.
"Over time, high blood glucose levels damage your blood vessels and the nerves that control them, which increases the risk of developing heart disease," says Grenye O. Malley, MD, a diabetes specialist at the University of Toronto. Icahn School of Medicine. at Mount Sinai.
What to do: The blood pressure should be checked at each visit to the doctor. If it exceeds 140/90, you will need to start treatment. You will also need to have your cholesterol checked each year.
Obtaining strict blood glucose control is also essential, but if you are over 70 and already taking multiple medications, you may be hurting your blood sugar, "says Adam Cifu, MD, a professor of medicine at the University of Chicago.
Although metformin is still the first-line treatment for people with type 2 diabetes, if this medication is not enough, consider one of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1), such as than liraglutide (Victoza). According to a study published last year, patients with type 2 diabetes who were at high risk of heart disease taking liraglutide had a reduced risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Shingles
Approximately 1 in 3 people will develop shingles, a disease in which the varicella virus – sleeping in almost all adults with chicken pox – will reactivate later. It causes painful and painful rashes that last a few weeks. About 10% of people suffer from post-herpetic neuralgia or persistent nerve pain for months or even years.
Shingles is also linked to a 41% increase in the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to a 2017 research letter. According to one theory, the virus that causes shingles can also cause inflammation and seizures. lesions to the arteries.
What to do: If you are over 50, get vaccinated for shingles. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a new version, Shingrix, has been available since 2017 and its effectiveness in preventing shingles is greater than 90%. (You receive two doses spaced two to six months apart.)
You should still receive it even if you have had shingles and even if you have already received the older vaccine against shingles, Zostavax.
Psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis
These autoimmune disorders are both accompanied by persistent inflammation, which eventually reaches the blood vessels and makes them more prone to fouling or rupturing.
Research shows that people with rheumatoid arthritis are up to 70% more likely to develop heart disease than people without rheumatoid arthritis, and people with psoriatic arthritis (a form of psoriasis) have an increased risk of heart attack of 36%. But many primary care physicians may not be aware of these risks.
What to do: Your first step is to check that your condition is well under control, says Iris Navarro-Millán, MD, a rheumatologist at the New York Special Surgical Hospital.
For example, several studies have shown that patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving treatment such as methotrexate have a 15-85% reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease or dying. And when you treat psoriasis with biologic medications, it can reduce the early buildup of plaque that clogs the arteries, according to a study published last March in the medical journal Cardiovascular Research. You must also make sure that you receive good, heart-healthy preventive care.
Obstructive sleep apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition characterized by breathing pauses during sleep, leads to sudden decreases in oxygen levels in the blood and awakenings that "increase blood pressure and cause release." by the Body of Stress Hormones, such as Adrenaline and Epinephrine ™ MD, Director of Sleep Disorders Division of Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
However, the results of a survey published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society revealed that while 56% of people over age 65 were at high risk of OSA, only 8% had been tested.
What to do: If you snore regularly, if you have long breathing pauses followed by choking or gasping, or if you do not feel well rested on waking, make an appointment with a sleep specialist, says Malow. If you suffer from apnea, the treatment of choice is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), where a mask connected to a pump gently blows air into your throat to keep the airways open.
In one study, people who used CPAP for only three months experienced a significant reduction in blood pressure.
The heart-mind connection
Although the diagnosis of heart disease or heart attack increases the risk of depression, the opposite can also be true.
"Depressed people are more likely to have poor eating and exercise habits, as well as drinking or smoking," says Lloyd-Jones. "But he seems to go deeper than that."
A study published earlier this year suggests that a missing link might be inflammation, which is a key risk factor in both cases.
If you have symptoms of depression, especially if you are already at risk for heart disease, talk to your primary health care provider about your treatment plan.
There is also a condition called cardiomyopathy takotsubo (CT), or broken heart syndrome, which can mimic the signs of a heart attack. In one study, about 1-2% of people suspected of having a heart attack at the hospital had CT.
This temporary disruption of your heart's pumping function is caused by a stressful situation, such as a death. "The effusion of stress hormones actively shocks the heart," says Lloyd-Jones.
Treatment usually involves hospitalization with medications to help your heart bounce back. Most people recover completely after a few weeks.
Editor's note: This article was also published in the July 2019 issue of Consumer Reports On Health.
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with the advertisers on this site.
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