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Common Lung Conditions Linked To Heart Disease
Patients with some of the most common lung diseases are substantially more likely to suffer a heart attack and develop other major heart problems according to new research.
The team of heart and lung doctors from the University of Manchester and Aston Medical School found people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung fibrosis, were more likely to develop, and die from, heart disease and heart failure.
The study of nearly 100,000 people with lung disease in the North West of England who were followed up for up to 14 years is published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The increased risk was in addition to the risk posed by other common conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
However, despite the association, the team found that patients with lung disease were less likely to receive heart bypass surgery or angioplasty.
First author Dr Paul Carter, part of the ACALM Study Unit, Aston Medical School said: "The most striking findings were that the risk of coronary heart disease was increased by 50% in patients with asthma, 60% in patients with lung fibrosis and 70% in patients with COPD. Furthermore, having COPD more than doubled the risk of developing heart failure."
Dr Rahul Potluri, founder of the ACALM Study Unit, Aston Medical School, said: "Despite the increased risk of heart disease, patients with lung diseases were less likely to receive heart treatments. Potential reasons include difficulties in diagnosis due to similar symptoms, and heart treatments having higher rates of complications in patients with lung diseases. Further work is required to understand this finding in more detail and how it could be addressed."
Dr Chris Miller, senior author of the study from The University of Manchester said; "Research into why lung disease is associated with heart disease and the underlying disease mechanisms, is urgently required. If we could understand that, then we could potentially develop treatments that target these disease pathways."
Understanding Heart Failure -- The Basics
Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can't pump blood effectively to the lungs or the rest of the body.
This can be because the person has developed a weakened heart muscle or because the heart muscle has thickened or stiffened, making it difficult to fill the heart and backing up blood into the lungs.
With heart failure, the weakened heart pumps less blood than usual, causing the kidneys and adrenal glands to produce chemicals that help the body to hold onto salt and water.
In addition, the blood vessels constrict, raising blood pressure. This makes it even harder for the heart to push blood through the arteries.
Because the body is retaining salt and water or the heart is unable to pump blood forward, water may pool in the legs and ankles, causing them to swell.
Fluid may also collect in the lungs and interfere with the ability to breathe, especially when lying down.
Left untreated, heart failure worsens and may prevent the heart from pumping enough blood to keep the person alive.
Doctors divide heart failure cases into four levels of increasing severity:
Doctors also classify heart failure according to whether it is primarily a problem of pumping the blood out of the heart due to a weakened heart muscle, or if the patient has problems primarily with filling the heart due to a stiff heart muscle (also called heart failure with normal ejection fraction). Heart failure with normal ejection fraction now accounts for almost half of the heart failure seen in the U.S. And is the dominant type of heart failure seen in the elderly.
About 6.5 million Americans over the age of 20 have heart failure, which contributes to about 695,000 deaths each year. Although treatment of heart failure has led to improved survival rates, as many as ten percent of patients with mild heart failure and more than 50% of patients with more severe heart failure die annually. Heart failure is the single most frequent cause of hospitalization for Americans ages 65 and older.
The most common causes of heart failure are:
Many people with heart failure have both coronary artery disease and hypertension.
Heart failure may also be caused by other conditions that weaken or interfere with the heart's function, including:
Congestive Heart Failure Directory
Congestive heart failure (CHF) occurs when the heart is not able to pump blood effectively. Fluid can build up in the tissues of the body as a result of congestive heart failure. This type of heart failure could be due to a number of heart conditions. Symptoms include congested lungs, shortness of breath, water retention, dizziness, and weakness. Treating CHF may include medications, fluid restriction, exercise, surgery, and more. Follow the links below to find WebMD's comprehensive coverage about how congestive heart failure is caused, how to treat it, and much more.
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