Does asthma raise heart attack risk after 40?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am 47 years old, and I am a military veteran who has chronic asthma due to lead and asbestos exposure while working in the shipyards. I also have heart disease and hypertension. I had my heart attack when I was 32. I read that people with asthma are 60 percent more likely to have a heart-related event, like a heart attack. I believe asthma and heart issues are related. I want to reach out to you for your opinion.

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

There is a connection between chest problems and heart-lung diseases that may lead to elevated pulmonary pressure with right ventricular overload and dysfunction. The major cause of coronary artery narrowing, which causes a heart attack, is coronary atherosclerosis, likely due to genetic predisposition and increased incidence with risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and increased lipid profile.

I hope this helps.

Kindly follow up if you have more concerns.

Thank you.

Answer 2

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

Some studies showed that asbestos and lead exposure are associated with cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke. The definite cause is unknown, but it is likely the inflammatory response that induces endothelial dysfunction. It is the same for bronchial asthma and coronary artery disease, with increased inflammatory mediators, which induce blood vessel endothelial dysfunction and heart attack, which is a different pathway than the traditional atherosclerotic pathway.

I hope this helps.

Please follow up if you have any further concerns.

Thank you.