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Inflammation and Heart Disease

You probably already know that high cholesterol and blood pressure are major risk factors for heart disease, but did you know inflammation also plays a key role, and that working to reduce it can prevent heart attacks and strokes?

20 years ago, researchers discovered high levels of inflammation were associated with an increased chance of having a heart attack or stroke, but did not realize anti-inflammatory treatments could help. In 2008, when another study showed that for older adults who did not have elevated blood cholesterol levels but had elevated blood levels of inflammatory markers, treatment with cholesterol-lowering statin drugs reduced the number of heart attacks and strokes, but, it wasn’t clear whether that was because the statins reduced inflammation or lowered bad cholesterol, since they do both.

Recently, a clinical trial studied the effect of an anti-inflammatory drug on people who had a prior heart attack, elevated inflammatory markers and were on statins, and found targeting inflammation without changing cholesterol levels can have a significant impact on heart disease. People treated with this anti-inflammatory drug reduced the likelihood of heart attacks or strokes by 15% and the need for interventions like angioplasty and bypass surgery by 30%. Additional studies are now being done to determine if medications for inflammation can be taken to protect the heart.

Inflammation is part of your body’s immune response to an illness or injury. When you have a wound or an infection, inflammation helps fight off germs and facilitates healing. But, buildup of cholesterol and other substances in your arteries can set off an inflammatory response, too. Although short term inflammation is helpful, sustained low levels of inflammation can irritate the blood vessels, promote plaque formation and cause blood clots, which are the primary causes of heart attacks and strokes.

But, the good news is inflammation, bad cholesterol, blood pressure, and high blood sugar can be reduced by avoiding factors that activate inflammation in the body. These include:

  • Quit smoking: Smoking damages your blood vessels and promotes atherosclerosis. By quitting, you can cut your heart disease risk in half.
  • Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight increases the risk for multiple diseases. Excess fat around the belly is a red flag for heart disease risk and secretes a molecule that causes inflammation.
  • Increase activity: Exercising or moderate walking for at least 20 minutes a day can decrease inflammation.
  • Eat a heart-healthy diet: Processed and fast foods produce inflammation. Limit saturated fats found in meats, and whole-fat dairy products. Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, healthier oils like olive oil, nuts and fatty fish (salmon, tuna, sardines). Also, eat foods with probiotics, like yogurt without too much sugar.
  • Try using some spices in your food: Ginger root, cinnamon, clove, black pepper, and turmeric have anti-inflammatory effects on our bodies.
  • Get enough sleep: Research shows healthy people who are sleep-deprived have more inflammation, which might be related to metabolism.

NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and naproxen) are sometimes helpful in easing pain and helping with inflammation. If you take these medications regularly, make sure your doctor knows since they may cause issues with other medical conditions.

Since chronic inflammation doesn’t produce symptoms, the only way to measure it is with a blood test, and most people aren’t regularly screened for inflammation. Since chronic inflammation can cause a number of health conditions, making healthy lifestyle choices is the best way to lower that risk factor.  Although doctors may also prescribe a statin drug for those with a higher risk of heart disease, your doctor can determine your risk level and what next steps are most appropriate for you.

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