How does inflammation in the body contribute to heart disease?

Inflammation is a huge risk factor for heart disease - stress, diet, and autoimmune diseases can all contribute. Watch Ask the Experts' cardiologist Suzanne Steinbaum, DO, explain why inflammation is a key risk factor to be aware of.

Transcript

00:00

When you get stressed out, think about it. You're increasing the inflammation in your body, and that is not good for your heart.

00:08

[MUSIC PLAYING]

00:14

Inflammation is a huge risk factor for heart disease and can come from multiple different places, including lifestyle.

00:22

Inflammation can go up from stress. It could actually go up from belly fat and having a poor diet.

00:29

But inflammation from things like autoimmune diseases, rheumatologic diseases, which most often happen in women,

00:37

can really increase your risk of heart disease. But when you get stressed out, think about it.

00:44

You're increasing the inflammation in your body, and that is not good for your heart. It's not uncommon for me to see women in their 30s,

00:53

40s, and 50s, who've been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, who've lived with high-inflammatory markers

01:00

for years, showing up on my doorstep with symptoms of heart disease. Whether it's palpitations, chest pain, or shortness of breath,

01:09

sometimes these inflammatory markers can affect the heart. So if you have any autoimmune disease

01:17

or inflammatory diseases, really talk to your doctor, especially if you have symptoms, because it

01:23

could be a sign that something's wrong with your heart. When you're sitting in back of a taxi, stuck in traffic,

01:31

or there you are driving to work and you know you're going to be a half an hour late, when you start feeling your heart pounding

01:38

and you're short of breath, stop because that's a sign that the fight or flight syndrome has kicked in.

01:45

And inflammatory markers are running rampant throughout your body. And guess what? That could lead to heart disease so just stop, breathe.

01:54

It's worth it. [SWOOSH] [HEARTBEATS]