Cardiostomy Gray hair is a signal of increased cardiovascular risks

Relationship between gray hair and cardiovascular disease risk
If the first gray hairs are discovered on your own head, many sufferers initially get a shock. The obvious signs of advanced age are then often covered by the dyeing of hair. When the hair starts to turn gray, according to a recent study is also related to the risk of heart disease - at least in men. Anyone who gets gray hair early on is therefore subject to a significantly higher disease risk.

In an observational study presented at the "EuroPrevent 2017" congress, the scientists were able to ask the cardiologist Dr. med. Irini Samuel from the University of Cairo prove that gray or white hair can be an indication of the risk of cardiovascular disease. If you have gray hair early on you should, if necessary, have more frequent check-ups. Samuel at the congress.

Gray hair is associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease in men. (Image: Jacob Lund / fotolia.com)

Gray hair is an independent risk marker?
According to the Egyptian cardiologist, aging is an unavoidable coronary risk factor, which in turn is associated with certain signs such as gray hair. According to the expert, these signs of aging may therefore also indicate an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

In their study, the scientists investigated the relationships between the appearance of gray hair and the risk of cardiovascular disease. "This study evaluated the prevalence of gray hair in patients with coronary heart disease and whether it is an independent risk marker of the disease," Dr. Samuel.

545 men suspected of CHD were examined
According to the researchers, the prospective observational study included 545 adult men who were examined for suspected coronary heart disease using multi-slice computed tomography (CT) and coronary angiography. The scientists then established subgroups of participants based on the presence or absence of coronary heart disease and the amount of gray / white hair.

The amount of gray hair was classified according to a "Whitening Score": 1 = pure black hair, 2 = black more than white, 3 = black and white evenly distributed, 4 = white more than black and 5 = pure white. Data were also collected on traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking, dyslipidaemia (fat metabolism disorder) and the presence of coronary heart disease in the family.

Brightening of hair in CHD patients stronger
In the analysis, the researchers found that high levels of hair lightening (grade 3 or greater) were associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease, regardless of age of the subjects and other cardiovascular risk factors. "Patients with coronary artery disease showed statistically significantly higher hair whitening and greater coronary artery calcifications than subjects without coronary artery disease," Dr. Samuel.

Similar biological mechanisms are the cause of the relationship
The researchers attribute the relationship between the appearance of gray hair and the risk of CHD to the mechanisms that are similar in arteriosclerosis and hair graying. In both cases, there is impaired DNA repair, oxidative stress, inflammation, hormonal changes and senescence of functional cells (senescence = cessation of cell division after a certain number of successful divisions). Samuel. "Atherosclerosis and hair graying occur through similar biological mechanisms, and the incidence of both increases with age," the cardiologist continued.

Checkups for people with gray hair?
The study results show, according to Dr. Samuel pointed out that gray hair could be a warning sign of increased cardiovascular risk. Although further studies are needed to determine more about the genetic causes and possible preventable environmental factors of hair lightening, a larger sample of men and women would need to consider the association between gray hair and cardiovascular disease in patients without other known cardiovascular risk factors to confirm. But the established connections are relatively clear. "If our findings are confirmed, standardization could be used as a predictor of coronary heart disease using a scoring system to assess gray hair," Dr. Samuel.

Identified risk patients could then go to regular check-ups and, if necessary, take preventive therapeutic measures. (Fp)