Study: Social Stress Leaves Hidden Effects on the Heart and Increases Stroke Risks
Monitoring3 min read
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A large-scale British study revealed that chronic low-grade inflammation may not just be a temporary response from the body, but a continuous process that can cause gradual changes in the heart's structure, without noticeable symptoms in the early stages.
According to a report published by the website «Science Daily», researchers from the Medical Sciences Laboratory of the British Medical Research Council and Imperial College London analyzed data from about 480,000 adult participants in the «UK Biobank».
Researchers relied on a blood marker known as Glycoprotein Acetyl (GlycA) to measure inflammation levels, along with cardiac imaging data and genetic information, to study the relationship between chronic inflammation and cardiovascular health.
The results showed that people with the highest levels of inflammation were more likely to suffer heart attacks and strokes by up to 43% compared to those with lower levels.
The results also indicated that prolonged inflammation may be associated with increased risks even in people who have not been previously diagnosed with heart disease.
The study observed a link between chronic inflammation and a series of changes in the heart's structure, including increased thickness of the heart walls, smaller chamber size, and reduced ability to fill with blood normally.
These changes may develop gradually over years without noticeable symptoms, before later being associated with more serious problems, including heart failure and cardiovascular complications.
Factors associated with high levels of inflammation were not limited to traditional health indicators, as the study showed a link between chronic inflammation and socioeconomic and psychological stress conditions.
Factors such as smoking, obesity, lack of physical activity, and unhealthy lifestyles were also associated with higher levels of inflammation, which may enhance the accumulation of health risks over time.
The study pointed out that genetic factors may affect the body's response to inflammation; some people may have a greater genetic predisposition to resist its effects, while others may be more susceptible to its consequences.
However, researchers emphasized that genes do not predestine fate, and modifying certain lifestyle factors can help reduce health risks associated with inflammation.
Researchers also focused on inflammatory proteins and pathways, including Interleukin-1 (IL-1) and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF), as potential pathways to understand how chronic inflammation can damage the heart.
Researchers believe that these findings may help in the future to develop therapeutic strategies targeting inflammation to reduce the risk of heart disease before symptoms appear.
The results open the door to the potential future use of blood inflammation markers along with genetic information to identify people at higher risk of heart disease, which may allow intervention at early stages.
The study highlights the role of chronic inflammation as one of the factors that may affect heart health in the long term, interacting with lifestyle, genetic factors, and social and psychological conditions.
