In a new study, researchers found common lung problems linked to a higher risk of heart disease.
Lung problems include asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung fibrosis.
The findings suggest that lung health and heart health are highly connected.
The research was conducted by researchers from the University of Manchester and Aston Medical School.
Asthma is a common lung disease. People with asthma experience episodes of asthma, or asthma attacks.
This occurs when there are a narrowing and inflammation of the airways that makes it harder to breathe.
COPD is the term of a number of lung diseases that prevent proper breathing.
The main symptoms of COPD are breathlessness, chronic cough, and sputum. Smokers and ex-smokers are at higher risk of COPD.
Lung fibrosis is a lung disease that happens when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred.
This scarred tissue makes it more difficult for the lungs to work properly. Patients often experience more short of breath.
In the current study, the team examined nearly 100,000 people with lung disease in the North West of England.
The patients were followed up for up to 14 years.
The researchers found patients with the most common lung diseases may be more likely to suffer a heart attack and develop other heart problems such as heart failure.
The risk of coronary heart disease was increased by 50% in patients with asthma, 60% in patients with lung fibrosis and 70% in patients with COPD.
In addition, having COPD more than doubled the risk of having heart failure.
The increased risk was in addition to the risk posed by other common conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
However, the team also found that patients with lung diseases were less likely to get heart bypass surgery.
They explain that the heart conditions may be hard to diagnosis due to similar symptoms, and heart treatments having higher rates of complications in patients with lung diseases.
Further work needs to explore the link between lung diseases and heart disease in more detail and help develop better diagnosis and treatment.
The lead author of the study is Dr. Paul Carter, part of the ACALM Study Unit, Aston Medical School. Dr. Chris Miller is the senior author of the study from The University of Manchester.
The study is published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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