This slight illness could pave the way for something more serious.
Do you have a flu A simple cold may not be your biggest health concern: A new study, published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, found that respiratory infections can increase the risk of a heart attack.
In the study, researchers analyzed past and recent information on respiratory infections from 578 patients hospitalized for a heart attack. Seventeen percent of them reported symptoms of respiratory infection within seven days of the heart attack, and 21 percent a month before.
They found that mild respiratory symptoms – for example, the common cold – increased the chances of having a heart attack almost 14 times, over the next seven days. More serious respiratory problems, such as the flu, bronchitis, and pneumonia, increased the risk of heart attack by 17 times.
“The data showed that the increased risk of a heart attack is not necessarily just at the onset of respiratory symptoms, which peak in the first seven days and gradually decrease; however, the risk remains elevated for a month, “said doctor Geoffrey Tofler, in a press release.
It is possible that respiratory infections can increase blood clotting and inflammation, both of which are potentially damaging to blood vessels (which can lead to a heart attack), they believe.
Still, before you freak out, realize that the absolute risk of any cold triggering a heart attack – especially in a healthy individual with no significant risk factors – remains low, he explained.
However, it is important to recognize that it can increase the risk, so it is important to keep an eye out for heart attack symptoms and seek prompt medical attention if you think you are experiencing one.