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
When you get stressed out, think about it. You're increasing the inflammation in your body, and that is not good for your heart.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Inflammation is a huge risk factor for heart disease and can come from multiple different places, including lifestyle.
Inflammation can go up from stress. It could actually go up from belly fat and having a poor diet.
But inflammation from things like autoimmune diseases, rheumatologic diseases, which most often happen in women,
can really increase your risk of heart disease. But when you get stressed out, think about it.
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,
40s, and 50s, who've been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, who've lived with high-inflammatory markers
for years, showing up on my doorstep with symptoms of heart disease. Whether it's palpitations, chest pain, or shortness of breath,
sometimes these inflammatory markers can affect the heart. So if you have any autoimmune disease
or inflammatory diseases, really talk to your doctor, especially if you have symptoms, because it
could be a sign that something's wrong with your heart. When you're sitting in back of a taxi, stuck in traffic,
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
and you're short of breath, stop because that's a sign that the fight or flight syndrome has kicked in.
And inflammatory markers are running rampant throughout your body. And guess what? That could lead to heart disease so just stop, breathe.
It's worth it. [SWOOSH] [HEARTBEATS]
heart disease
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