Australian researchers have linked difficulty passing stools to heart attacks, strokes and heart failure.
- Patients with constipation are twice as likely to have a major cardiac event as those without the condition.
- Hypertensive adults affected by constipation had a 34% increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and heart failure compared with people with hypertension alone.
- “Positive genetic correlations have been identified between constipation and various forms of major adverse cardiac events,” the authors revealed.
“Often overlooked, constipation, a common health problem affecting approximately 14% of the world’s population, particularly older adults and women, has an impact on cardiovascular health.” This is what scientists from Monash University (Australia) have recently suggested. To reach this conclusion, they conducted a study in which they wanted to understand which risk factors, other than traditional ones such as hypertension, obesity or smoking, contribute to major adverse cardiac events.
“Constipation may exacerbate cardiovascular risks associated with hypertension”
As part of their work, published in the journal American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiologythe team hypothesized that constipation is a risk factor, given that it “has common risk factors with hypertension and is associated with an increased risk of several cardiovascular diseases.” To conduct their research, the researchers analyzed data from 408,354 people to examine the contribution of this difficulty in evacuating stools to the risk of acute coronary syndrome, stroke and heart failure. “We also assessed genetic correlations between constipation and major adverse cardiac events,” the authors specified.
A total of 23,814 cases of constipation were identified. The results showed that, compared to people with normal bowel habits, those with constipation were more than twice as likely to suffer a major cardiac event. In addition, the study highlighted a particularly worrying link between constipation and hypertension. According to the team, hypertensive patients who also suffered from constipation had a 34% increased risk of cardiac events compared to adults with hypertension alone. “Thus, constipation may exacerbate the cardiovascular risks associated with hypertension, increasing the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes,” said Francine Marqueswho participated in the work.
Constipation, cardiovascular diseases: “common genetic factors” in question
Scientists have also explored genetic links between constipation and cardiovascular disease. “Positive genetic correlations have been identified between constipation and various forms of major adverse cardiac events, indicating that common genetic factors may underlie both conditions. This discovery opens new avenues of research into the underlying mechanisms that link gut health and heart health,” explained Leticia Camargo Tavares, co-author of the study.
According to the authors, “The implications of this study are considerable.” In the conclusions, they stress the need for further research to explore the causal link between constipation and adverse cardiac events and to identify the specific biological pathways involved. “One of those mechanisms could be through a leaky gut.”
