Could Heart Attacks Be Triggered By Infections? (sciencedaily.com) 28
Finland's second-largest university has announced new research suggesting that heart attacks could be an infectious disease.
[T]he research found that, in coronary artery disease, atherosclerotic plaques containing cholesterol may harbor a gelatinous, asymptomatic biofilm formed by bacteria over years or even decades. Dormant bacteria within the biofilm remain shielded from both the patient's immune system and antibiotics because they cannot penetrate the biofilm matrix.
A viral infection or another external trigger may activate the biofilm, leading to the proliferation of bacteria and an inflammatory response. The inflammation can cause a rupture in the fibrous cap of the plaque, resulting in thrombus [blood clot] formation and ultimately myocardial infarction... "Bacterial involvement in coronary artery disease has long been suspected, but direct and convincing evidence has been lacking," explains professor Pekka Karhunen [who led the study with researchers from the UK and Finland]. "Our study demonstrated the presence of genetic material — DNA — from several oral bacteria inside atherosclerotic plaques." The findings were validated by developing an antibody targeted at the discovered bacteria, which unexpectedly revealed biofilm structures in arterial tissue. Bacteria released from the biofilm were observed in cases of myocardial infarction. The body's immune system had responded to these bacteria, triggering inflammation which ruptured the cholesterol-laden plaque.
The observations pave the way for the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for myocardial infarction. Furthermore, they advance the possibility of preventing coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction by vaccination.
"The research is part of an extensive EU-funded cardiovascular research project involving 11 countries..."
[T]he research found that, in coronary artery disease, atherosclerotic plaques containing cholesterol may harbor a gelatinous, asymptomatic biofilm formed by bacteria over years or even decades. Dormant bacteria within the biofilm remain shielded from both the patient's immune system and antibiotics because they cannot penetrate the biofilm matrix.
A viral infection or another external trigger may activate the biofilm, leading to the proliferation of bacteria and an inflammatory response. The inflammation can cause a rupture in the fibrous cap of the plaque, resulting in thrombus [blood clot] formation and ultimately myocardial infarction... "Bacterial involvement in coronary artery disease has long been suspected, but direct and convincing evidence has been lacking," explains professor Pekka Karhunen [who led the study with researchers from the UK and Finland]. "Our study demonstrated the presence of genetic material — DNA — from several oral bacteria inside atherosclerotic plaques." The findings were validated by developing an antibody targeted at the discovered bacteria, which unexpectedly revealed biofilm structures in arterial tissue. Bacteria released from the biofilm were observed in cases of myocardial infarction. The body's immune system had responded to these bacteria, triggering inflammation which ruptured the cholesterol-laden plaque.
The observations pave the way for the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for myocardial infarction. Furthermore, they advance the possibility of preventing coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction by vaccination.
"The research is part of an extensive EU-funded cardiovascular research project involving 11 countries..."
highly likely (Score:5, Informative)
Re:highly likely (Score:5, Interesting)
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It's stress, not tooth decay!!! (Score:3)
It has also been know for some time that there is a correlation between oral health and cardiovascular disease, but a causative mechanism has been elusive. The presence of DNA from oral bacteria in this study may help shed some light on that as well.
I think the consensus and obvious conclusion is that people who take care of their teeth take care of their heart, based on Maslov's hierarchy of needs. People who go to the dentist twice a year are more likely to exercise, control their drinking, smoking, stress, and sleep. Basically, if you have your shit together enough that you're worried about routine dental care, you've probably got the factors to heard disease under control.
Or reversed, if you're abusing drugs, tobacco, or booze...are you floss
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People who go to the dentist twice a year are more likely to exercise, control their drinking, smoking, stress, and sleep.
Probably but it is far from linear. It should not be hard to find people who don't exercise with good dental heath, and vice versa. Certainly good studies should try to control for such things, and there have been a lot of studies. Anyway I think the point was the bacteria are obviously a potential physiological and not socioeconomic link. Clearly more study is warranted.
In the USA, the people in trailer parks and housing projects often preferred beer or hard liquor back in the 80s and 90s.
I'm sure they could have found plenty of folks on the Night Train if they tried.
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This is most likely true, however I would postulate that since CHD is mostly caused by inflammation from insulin resistance, those with massive issues from too much glucose or carbs will also have more oral bacteria problems from the same bad habits.
This is probably multifactorial.
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Actually, this will happen in arteries and not veins.
The reason atherosclerosis is mostly found in arteries is because the pressure is much higher than in veins.
Arteries carry blood away from the heart (more pressure closest to the pump).
Veins carry blood to the heart (less pressure at the end of the line just before the pump).
Healthy gums + teeth = healthy heart (Score:5, Interesting)
The correlation between gum / tooth disease and heart disease has been known for many years, but this study provides a mechanism for causation.
For that matter, talk to your veterinarian, and you'll be told that dogs with congestive heart failure and heart murmurs almost always have bad teeth.
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CHD being mostly an inflammatory disease, mainly caused by insulin resistance, also is caused and exacerbate by any other factors that cause inflammation.
The seed oils mentioned above are known to be highly inflammatory.
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Indeed.
However the association could be an indicator of bad nutritional habbits.
High sugar/glucose/carb diets will be inflammatory, leading to insulin resistance and CHD.
The same diets will be obvious in oral health, as identified above.
The association IMO is a good correlation. But as you point out, it isnt the cause of the CHD.
Intriguing... (Score:2)
"Our study demonstrated the presence of genetic material — DNA — from several oral bacteria inside atherosclerotic plaques."
I wonder if poor oral hygiene - or even maybe over-zealous
oral hygiene - might be one means by which these bacteria enter the bloodstream.
I also wonder if the various emulsifiers, (lecithin, carrageenan, carob bean gum, and a bunch of others which are said to compromise the gut microbiome), might be playing a role.
Cholestrol correlation (Score:3, Interesting)
But that statement will cause pharmaceutical companies to lose billions, so a lot of money and effort is going to be funneled into convincing people (more importantly, decision makers) that it's absolutely not true.
Maybe in 20-30 years, we'll accept the truth.
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This also supports the idea that cholesterol is just a correlation caused by inflammation and the body trying to fix the actual issue in the only way it knows how.
But that statement will cause pharmaceutical companies to lose billions, so a lot of money and effort is going to be funneled into convincing people (more importantly, decision makers) that it's absolutely not true.
Maybe in 20-30 years, we'll accept the truth.
How do you explain the legion of studies showing that reducing serum cholesterol reduces the chances of myocardial infarction?
Maybe in 20-30 years, you'll accept that not everyone doing research is wrong.
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I'm open to any research and facts, but with the amount of money involved in lowering cholesterol (statins), different perspectives and even facts are going to be difficult to get promoted.
Currently there is, of course, no causation involved in any research, only correlation. We all know correlation is absolutely not the same as causation. For example, firemen at a house that is burning is a strong correlation, but we all agree it's not th
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Also, Im not as down on industry research as you are. You say the statins-makers have an incentive to suppress other ways of fixing heart issues? Yeah, they do, and thats a problem, but if they the company ignor
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Though I am for increased research your assertion that western countries state led research is more aligned with what the population wants is false.
Pharmaceuticals have a much higher input on State run research than the population.
I am a right-winger capitalist and the problem is incentives are skewed by the regulatory capture from governements. Regulations being lobbied and directed by pharmaceuticals.
The problem is over regulation.
Your assertion would be right in a highly competitive free market. Which is
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They don't show that.
Low cholesterol is correlated with higher all cause mortality.
High cholesterol is correlated with lower all cause mortality.
Also, over half of all heart attack patients show cholesterol levels below recommended guidlines. Demonstrating high blood cholesterol as not being correlated to CHD.
Cholesterol plaques in the arteries are definately the cause of heart attacks, but the reason they are found there is to repair damaged arteries from inflammation.
Lowering total cholesterol does not pr
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You are 100% right on this.
The same diets which would cause insulin resitance and cause inflammation would also present oral health with high bacteria content.
Like with ulcers years ago (Score:2)
I guess like gastroenterologists at the time, now cardiologists will lose their jobs.
All is the Divine Mothers Will as already discover (Score:1)
https://www.sciencedaily.com/r... [sciencedaily.com]
The Divine Mother Durga Devi's Will is Supreme. Every particle in the cosmos is alive in Sat-Chid-Ananda consciousness â(TM)¥ïðY(TM)ðYðY"±ðY"±ðY"±
as already discovered a loooong time ago >5k+years by ancient Vedic/Hindu Rishis in Bharat that is India
- https://www.perplexity.ai/sear... [perplexity.ai]
Oral bacteria (Score:1)
"Oh perfect, we'll just need to get that vaccine into kids well before they start getting dental issues that lead to the oral bacteria getting into their bloodstream and then their immune system can handle it before it gets into a biofilm on the epithelial cells."
Instead of some potentially worthless vaccine, maybe focus on preventing the oral bacteria from getting into the bloodstream in the first place!! "But there's no money in that." Oh, right... nevermind. We need a vaccine for this!!
Of course infection can trigger heart attacks (Score:2)
CHD is caused by inflammation.
Inflammation causes damage to arteries and cholesterol shows up to repair it.
When the damage is severe, the cholesterol causes plaques that cause the blockages.
The main culprit of inflammation is insulin resistance brought on in most cases by too much glucose/carbs.
However there are many other sources of inflammation.
Infectious diseases will most certainly excacerbate inflammation and can trigger heart attacks in already inflammed patients.