The highest risk for high blood pressure was found in people with asthma, the researchers said. Previous studies have also found an association between allergic disorders and heart disease, but the link was controversial, the researchers said. In this latest study, scientists tested their hypothesis using data from more than 10,000 people with allergies who participated in the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, a government survey of the United States population. Each person had asthma or at least one allergic disorder, such as a respiratory, food, or skin allergy. In addition to the risk of high blood pressure, the study also found a higher risk of coronary heart disease for people between the ages of 39 and 57 with allergies. Coronary heart disease occurs when plaque builds up on the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Based on their findings, the researcher encouraged clinicians to add a cardiovascular risk assessment to clinical trials in people with asthma and allergies. “For patients with allergic disorders, blood pressure assessment and routine screening for coronary heart disease should be performed by clinicians to ensure that timely treatments are given to people with hypertension or coronary heart disease,” said the study’s lead author. Yang Guo, postdoctoral researcher. at Shenzhen University Hospital in Beijing, China, in a statement.
“The question is why”
While previous research has shown a link between allergies and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, “the question is why?” said pulmonologist Dr. Raj Dasgupta, an assistant professor of clinical medicine at Keck Medical School at the University of Southern California. “We can not really show causation, but science shows that it is associated with pro-inflammatory mediators, things that trigger inflammation in the body,” said Dasputa, who did not participate in the study. Histamines, for example, increase blood flow to the area being attacked by the allergen, forcing the immune system to send antibodies, triggering inflammation. This is why many allergy medications are antihistamines, designed to treat this inflammatory response. Although inflammation is the body’s way of fighting pathogens, an overactive or long-term response is an underlying factor in many chronic diseases, including diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Antihistamines restrict blood flow, as do other over-the-counter allergy medications, such as those containing “letter D, which is pseudoephedrine,” Dasgupta said. “These narrow the blood vessels not only in the nose but also in the rest of the body, which can lead to high blood pressure and increased heart rate.” Other drugs may also have a negative effect on the cardiovascular system, including steroids that are often prescribed for asthma attacks and emergencies, Dasgupta said. “Steroids raise blood pressure, raise blood sugar, and both high blood pressure and high blood sugar are very important risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke,” he said. “They can also cause weight gain, which is another risk factor.” Add all this to other causes of chronic inflammation in the body – such as sugar, over-processed and fried foods, stress, poor sleep, lack of exercise and infection, to name a few – the answer “could be” “Multifactorial – – the immune response, the drugs and all that together,” Dasgupta said.
