In a new study from the University of Western Australia, researchers have discovered a surprising and significant link between burn injuries and heart disease.
Even minor burns can lead to chronic pain, scarring, and psychological stress.
Sadly, children under 5 have the greatest risk of serious burn injury—usually caused by contact with hot drinks, food, fats, and cooking oils.
In the study, the researchers reviewed papers showing burns could impact an unlikely organ—the heart.
The review found burn patients had a higher rate of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular diseases include heart blockages, strokes, and artery issues.
Even small burns covering less than 10% of the body increase the risk. But why would a burn on, say, your arm affect your heart up to 30 years later?
The team found platelets might answer this question. The smallest of our blood cells, platelets control blood clotting to heal wounds. They only live for about 9 days.
While burns don’t usually bleed, a crucial part of wound healing involves constricting nearby blood vessels.
By closing the vessels, the body can isolate damaged areas for repair. Platelets perform several jobs in this process.
Shortly after a burn, damaged blood vessels release proteins that bind nearby platelets. The platelets and blood vessels then trigger inflammation.
This attracts monocytes—a type of white blood cell involved in the immune system.
These monocytes attach to the platelets and use them to pass through the blood vessel wall to become foam cells, creating plaque. Plaque build-up is a common issue with heart disease.
One theory is that disruption of blood flow following a burn could activate platelets and cause a build-up of plaques over years.
Another possibility is scarring in the bone marrow leads to long-term changes in platelet formation. Like red and white blood cells, platelets form in the bone marrow.
Pain could also contribute to heart disease. Burn survivors can experience long-term stress, pain, and psychological trauma. Long-term chronic illness makes you vulnerable to other diseases.
The team says emotional stress is physical stress. The emotional response to ongoing pain changes cortisol levels and then changes to catecholamines.
Catecholamines are produced by our adrenal gland and prepare our bodies for a fight-or-flight response.
It’s plausible that ongoing chronic adrenergic response [platelets response to adrenaline] could activate platelets over many years.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about common antibiotic drug linked to greater heart attack risk, and this deadly spider may help treat heart attacks.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about novel causes of irregular heart rhythm, and cases showing that misdiagnosed with acid reflux and anxiety, her heart’s arteries were blocked.
The study is published in Platelets and was conducted by Associate Professor Matthew Linden et al.
Copyright © 2022 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
