Many other health conditions can put you at risk of developing a heart condition because their symptoms impact the heart.
Depending on your condition, this might limit how much you can reduce your risk of a heart issue. However, some conditions are better to manage and alleviate their impact on the body.
Awareness of their risks can lead to timely investigative tests and treatment plan management. This can help prevent you from developing severe heart and general health complications.
Below, we break down some conditions that can increase your risk of heart issues.
Viral illnesses
If the body faces a virus, one of its immune system defences is inflammation. This helps prevent further damage by fighting and killing foreign bodies.
However, long periods of inflammation can harm your general health. Chronic inflammation can weaken and damage your heart muscle, resulting in further heart issues.
Some viruses that can lead to heart concerns include:
- Influenza (the flu)
- HHV-6 (Human herpes virus)
- Parvovirus B19 (Slapped cheek syndrome or Fifth disease)
- SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)
- Hepatitis C
- HIV
Anaemia
Anaemia occurs when the number of red blood cells or haemoglobin decreases, reducing the amount of oxygen travelling to the body’s organs or tissues.
It is often caused by low iron or vitamin deficiency in the blood. Poor nutrition, infections, chronic diseases, heavy menstruation, pregnancy issues, or family history can cause this.
Because the body is not getting enough oxygen, it will try to pump blood faster so that oxygen can reach essential parts of the body. This can lead to symptoms such as heart palpitations or arrhythmia.
Over time, if left untreated, anaemia can cause stress and damage to the heart. This can lead to other complications such as heart disease, an enlarged heart, or heart failure.
Diabetes
There are two types of diabetes.
Type 1 is a lifelong condition in which your pancreas makes little to no insulin, due to attacks from the body’s immune system.
Type 2 is a condition caused by a problem with how the body processes sugar as fuel (glucose). It can cause two issues: the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, and cells respond poorly to insulin and take in less sugar.
High blood sugar levels can cause damage to blood vessels and other circulatory issues over time. This can cause further complications, such as heart disease, stroke, or heart attack.
Mental illnesses
If you experience mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression, you may be at higher risk of developing a heart condition. Research is still being done to determine the exact link between the two. However, there is a suggestion that high levels of cortisol caused by mental stress can lead to cardiac and circulatory issues over time. This includes heart disease, stroke, and heart attacks.
Also, environmental factors, such as diet or exercise, can be more challenging to manage if your mental health isn’t as good.
It can be overwhelming to think about improving your heart health when you are struggling with your mental health. However, we are here to help you and can help you implement healthy lifestyle habits to improve your heart health.
Circulatory conditions
There are some circulatory conditions related to the heart, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, that can put you at risk of developing more severe heart conditions, such as heart disease, angina, or even a heart attack.
High blood pressure and cholesterol are both the leading risk factors of heart disease and can be detrimental to your heart health if not managed correctly.
Contact us today if you need help managing your blood pressure or cholesterol.
It’s important to manage all your health conditions carefully, to avoid increasing your risk of developing something else that could be as, or more, serious.
