HEALTH COACH - Respiratory infections increase the risk of heart attack by 17 times

HEALTH COACH -

 Respiratory infections increase the risk of heart attack by 17 times  





 Every year, hundreds of thousands of people have a heart attack. New research suggests that mild and severe respiratory infections could make some people more susceptible to heart attacks. 
 
  
  New research suggests that a respiratory infection can be a trigger for a heart attack. 

 In the United States, nearly 800,000 people have heart attacks each year, and more than 100,000 of them die as a result. 

 A team of researchers from the University of Sydney, Australia has undertaken to study the link between respiratory infections and the risk of heart attack. 

 In Australia, about 56,000 people have a heart attack each year, and nearly 9,300 people die from it. 

 The new study - published in the  Internal Medicine Journal  - revealed that respiratory infections such as pneumonia, common flu and bronchitis seem to increase the chances of having a heart attack. 

 The research covered 578 patients who had a heart attack because of a blockage in their coronary arteries. Patients reported their history of respiratory infection, including bronchitis and pneumonia, and they gave information about their most recent infections and how often they tend to contract an infection. 

 Symptoms on which patients were interviewed included sore throat, cough, fever, sinusoidal pain and other symptoms similar to those of the flu. 

 Patients were admitted to the Royal North Shore Hospital in New South Wales, Australia. The diagnosis of a heart attack was confirmed by coronary angiography, a special X-ray test used to detect whether or not the coronary arteries are blocked and to what extent. 

 The researchers also performed a second analysis in a group of patients with upper respiratory tract infections, including colds, pharyngitis, sinusitis and rhinitis. 

 Risk of heart attack 17 times higher in the first 7 days after infection 

 The study suggests that respiratory infections can trigger heart attacks. 

  Overall, 17 percent of patients reported having symptoms of respiratory infection up to 7 days before the heart attack and 21 percent had had an infection Respiratory tract within 31 days. 

 Although lower overall, the risk of having a heart attack in patients with mild upper respiratory infection was still 13 times higher than usual . 

 "Although upper respiratory tract infections are less severe, they are much more frequent than lower respiratory tract symptoms, so it is important to understand their relationship to the risk of heart attacks, 39, lead author of the study, Dr. Lorcan Ruane. 

 The principal author of the research, Prof. Geoffrey Tofler - who is also a cardiologist at the University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital and Heart Research Australia - explains that, according to the results, the risk of a heart attack only occurs at the beginning Of a respiratory infection. 

  Rather, the risk is highest during the first 7 days, then decreases slightly, to remain stable up to a month. 

 Associate Professor and Investigator Thomas Buckley, of Sydney Nursing School, weigh on the significance of these findings, saying: "The incidence of heart attacks is higher during the winter in Australia. This winter peak is seen not only in Australia but also in other countries of the world, is probably due in part to the increased incidence of respiratory infections. People should take measures to reduce exposure to an infection, including vaccines against influenza and pneumonia, if any. "

 Tofler also commented on the results, drawing some possible explanations for the association found: 

 
 "Possible reasons why a respiratory infection can trigger a heart attack include an increased tendency to blood clotting, inflammation and toxins that damage blood vessels and evolution Of blood flow. 
 Our message to people is that the absolute risk that a single episode triggers a heart attack is low, they need to be aware that a respiratory infection could result in a coronary event. So consider preventative strategies as much as possible, and not ignore symptoms that could indicate a heart attack. "
 

 Tofler also suggests that the next step should be to identify preventive therapies for people who are more prone to a heart attack. 

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