Wednesday 23 November 2022 10:08 AM Having asthma raises your risk of a HEART ATTACK and stroke, study suggests trends now
Asthma sufferers are at an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, scientists say.
They are twice as likely to have excess plaque buildup in the arteries that carry blood to the brain compared to people who are not asthmatic.
Blockages in the carotid arteries is one of the biggest risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and are behind three-quarters of ischemic strokes.
Asthma leads to plaque build-up because of higher inflammation levels, raising the risk of damage to blood vessels leading to the formation of plaques.
It comes after doctors urged asthma sufferers to keep their inhalers at the ready, because they could suffer an attack while having sex.
In the latest study, researchers at the University of Wisconsin studied around 5,000 adults with an average age of 61 who were at risk of heart disease.
They were given an ultrasound on their carotid arteries — which carry blood from the heart to the head and neck.
Participants were divided into three groups: People with persistent asthma, defined as needing daily medication, intermittent asthma, who had a history of the condition but did not need medication, and no asthma.
Two-thirds of people with the most severe asthma had plaque in their carotid arteries, compared to half of those with moderate asthma and non-asthmatics.
After adjusting for age, sex, race, weight, other health conditions, prescription medication use and smoking, participants with persistent asthma had nearly twice as high odds of having plaque in their carotid arteries than those without asthma.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin warned asthma raises the risk of suffering from heart disease and
Dr Matthew Tattersall, a cardiovascular expert at the University of Wisconsin who led the study, said: ‘The most important message from our findings is that more significant forms of asthma are associated with more cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular events.
‘Addressing cardiovascular risk factors through lifestyle and behavior adjustments can be a powerful preventive tool for patients with more severe forms of asthma.’
He added: ‘We know that higher levels of inflammation lead to negative effects on the cardiovascular system.’
An increasing number of Americans are diagnosed with asthma
