New Delhi: Constipation is when one fails to pass stools for three days in a row or at least three times a week. While this form of digestive distress is associated worst-case-scenario with stress, now, according to a study, much worse could happen in the form of heart disease. Surprising as it may sound, researchers have found that being constipated could be linked to a heightened risk of strokes, heart attacks, and heart diseases. Experts at the School of Biological Sciences at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, said that despite being largely overlooked, the condition could be a key contributor to heart disease risk.
Conventionally, it was noted that heart diseases were influenced by the following risk factors:
Smoking
Obesity
Hypertension
But this study explored the role of constipation as a key risk factor. For this, experts analysed data from 408,354 people in the UK and found that 23814 people were dealing with constipation. Furthermore, people suffering from it were twice as likely to suffer from a heart incident than those who were living without it. This also included stroke, heart attack, and hospitalisation because of heart failure in the future.
How are hypertension, and constipation related?
Researchers also discovered a link between constipation and hypertension. It was found that people who had constipation were 34% more likely to deal with cardiac events associated with high BP. Experts say that this opens avenues for more research into the mechanism that links gut health with heart health. The involvement of a leaky gut could also be taken into account, a condition that leads to gas, bloating, indigestion, diarrhea, and fatigue.
Researchers noted that constipation is a relatively common occurrence affecting 14% of the world population, mainly older adults and women. Therefore, to improve heart health and preserve it in the long run, it is imperative to consider gut health in the management and prevention of heart diseases in a long run. The research, experts said, holds relevance also because of the rising number of heart diseases in young people, not to forget that it is the cause of the highest number of deaths globally every year.
The study’s findings were published in the American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology.
Researchers also discovered a link between constipation and hypertension. It was found that people who had constipation were 34% more likely to deal with cardiac events associated with high BP. Experts say that this opens avenues for more research into the mechanism that links gut health with heart health. Health News Health News: Latest News from Health Care, Mental Health, Weight Loss, Disease, Nutrition, Healthcare
