The inability to feel properly may be related to the inability of the heart muscle to pump blood through the body normally.
- Olfactory impairment is common in older people.
- Loss of smell is linked to an approximately 30 percent higher risk of developing congestive heart failure, a new study finds.
- There was no association between poor sense of smell and coronary heart disease or stroke.
As we age, it’s not uncommon to experience anosmia, a loss of smell. The problem: This olfactory deficiency impacts quality of life, leading to a loss of enjoyment of food and increased health risks due to issues such as a reduced ability to detect spoiled food or smell a gas leak. Additionally, research has shown that a poor sense of smell may be an early marker of cognitive decline. “Loss of smell may be associated with poor cardiovascular health. However, empirical evidence is scarce,” wrote researchers from Michigan State University (USA) in a study published in the journal Journal of the American Heart Association.
2,537 adults had to smell and identify 12 elements
They decided to examine the link between olfaction and the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and congestive heart failure. To do this, the scientists analyzed data from 2,537 people who had participated in a survey on associations between aging-related conditions, social and behavioral factors and functional changes in older adults. When they enrolled in this cohort in 1997 and 1998, the volunteers were healthy adults aged 70 to 79 who lived in the areas surrounding Pittsburgh and Memphis, Tennessee.
Their sense of smell was assessed using the Odor Identification Test in 1999 and 2000. In detail, participants had to smell and identify 12 items from a list of four possible answers. One point was awarded for each correct answer for a score of 0 to 12. A poor sense of smell was defined as a score of 8 or less. The adults were followed for 12 years or until they had a cardiovascular event or died. The team considered a person to have heart failure if they were hospitalized overnight for the condition.
Heart failure: 30% increased risk with loss of smell
According to the results, 353 incidents of coronary heart disease, 258 strokes and 477 cases of congestive heart failure were recorded during follow-up. The authors found that loss of smell was associated with an approximately 30% higher risk of developing congestive heart failure. In contrast, no association between olfactory impairment and coronary heart disease or stroke was observed.
In their conclusions, the researchers did point out that it remains unclear whether a poor sense of smell can contribute to the development of heart failure or simply predict it. “Loss of smell may be linked to accelerated aging,” said Honglei Chenlead author of the work, who believe that in-depth research on this subject must be carried out to gain more clarity.
