Research shows constipation is a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes
Many people suffer from constipation, but few realize that it can affect more than just your gut health. New research suggests that constipation may be a risk factor for
Constipation is associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiac events in a UK population | American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology
https://journals.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/ajpheart.00519.2024
New study finds constipation is a significant risk factor for major cardiac events - Science
https://www.monash.edu/science/news-events/news/current/new-study-finds-constipation-is-a-significant-risk-factor-for-major-cardiac-events
Your Constipation Could Be Having a Serious Impact on Your Heart : ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/your-constipation-could-be-having-a-serious-impact-on-your-heart
Professor Francine Marques, who studies gut bacteria and hypertension at Monash University in Australia, said, 'Traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity and smoking have long been recognised as major contributors to heart disease. However, these factors alone cannot fully explain the occurrence of major cardiovascular events.'
Marquez and his team used data from the UK Biobank , a long-term biobank conducted in the UK, to examine the association between constipation and major cardiovascular events. Of the 408,354 people whose data the team analyzed, 23,814 had constipation.
The data showed that people who suffer from constipation are more than twice as likely to develop a major cardiovascular event than those without constipation. Additionally, people with both high blood pressure and constipation have a 34% higher risk of heart disease than those with high blood pressure alone.
'Our study suggests that constipation, a common but often overlooked health problem, may be an important cause of cardiovascular disease,' Marquez said, noting that when combined with high blood pressure, it may further increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Science Alert, a scientific media outlet, cites the case of rock singer
While Presley's direct cause of death was said to be arrhythmia, and it is likely that his existing heart condition and drug abuse were contributing factors, it is also true that Presley suffered from chronic constipation. Some experts, including Presley's doctor , have hypothesized that Presley's attempts to relieve constipation may have caused his blood pressure and heart rate to rise to dangerous levels.
The research team also found a significant genetic association between constipation and various cardiovascular diseases. Dr. Leticia Camargo-Tavares of Monash University, co-first author of the paper, said, 'We identified a positive genetic correlation between constipation and various major cardiovascular events, suggesting that there may be common genetic factors underlying both diseases. This discovery opens new avenues of research into the underlying mechanisms linking gut health and heart health.'
'Constipation affects an estimated 14 percent of the world's population, particularly older adults and women. These findings suggest that a significant proportion of the population may be at increased risk of cardiovascular disease due to their gut health,' said Marquez.
The research team argues that it is necessary to explore the mechanism by which constipation increases the risk of major cardiovascular events and identify the biological pathways involved. They will continue to conduct further research, including the possibility that leaky gut syndrome , in which the intestinal barrier function is weakened and undigested food and waste products leak out of the intestine, may be involved.
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