Could Constipation Affect Your Risk of Heart Disease? Find Out What a Up-to-date Study Says

We know that various factors are linked to heart disease, such as smoking and obesity. But a recent study reveals a surprising link between constipation and an increased risk of stern adverse heart events, including heart attacks, strokes and heart failure — a link that is not widely recognized.

“Our study suggests that constipation, a common but often overlooked health problem, may be a significant contributor to cardiovascular disease,” said Professor Francine Marques, from the School of Biological Sciences at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, who led the study, in the paper. press release.

“Customary cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity and smoking have long been recognised as major risk factors for heart disease. However, these factors alone do not fully explain the occurrence of major cardiac events. This study investigated the potential role of constipation as an additional risk factor, revealing some worrying results,” added Professor Marques.

Scientists conducted a large-scale study test involving 408,354 participants, of which 23,814 cases were related to constipation. The results, published in the American Journal Of Physiology, indicate that people with constipation are at more than twice the risk of having a stern heart event compared with those without the condition.

The researchers also noted that constipation increased the risk of heart disease in people with hypertension, with their risk of cardiac events being 34% higher compared to people with hypertension alone.

“Our research suggests that constipation may exacerbate the risk of cardiovascular disease associated with high blood pressure, thereby increasing the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes,” Professor Marques said.

The study also identified some genetic links between constipation and cardiovascular disease. “Positive genetic correlations were identified between constipation and various forms of MACE, indicating that common genetic factors may underlie both conditions. This finding opens recent avenues for research into the underlying mechanisms that link gut health and heart health,” said Dr. Leticia Camargo Tavares, co-author of the first study.

Given the study’s findings on the link between constipation and cardiovascular problems, the researchers suggested focusing on gut health as a strategy for preventing and treating heart disease. They emphasized the need for further research to disentangle the cause-and-effect relationship and uncover the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.