Smaller people often have a heart attack

People with a smaller body, according to a study have an increased risk of heart attack

04/13/2015

People who are smaller than average are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. The risk of suffering a heart attack increases with the smaller body size, as the researchers found in an international meta-study. However, the health hazards can be relativized with sports, smoking and healthy eating.

Increased risk of coronary heart disease
According to a news agency dpa news agency, British scientists have found that smaller people are at an increased risk of developing coronary heart disease. Researchers at the University of Leicester came to this conclusion in a study that they published in the journal „New England Journal of Medicine“ published. For this, the team led by Professor Nilesh Samani investigated the DNA of around 200,000 Europeans. The scientists found that there is a genetic link between a small body size and the risk of coronary heart disease (coronary heart disease).

Effect greater in women than in men
For each 6.5 centimeters smaller body size increases the disease risk by 13.5 percent. Thus, a 24 centimeters smaller person has about a 50 percent higher risk of developing cardiovascular weakness or constriction of the coronary arteries or even suffering a heart attack. The effect is slightly larger in women than in men. However, the study should not overly worry people with smaller body size, said Professor Peter Weissberg, Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation, which partially co-funded the investigation. Of course, little people do not automatically get heart disease.

Various factors play a role
Weissberg had pointed out in the press release of the University of Leicester that "the genes are only one of many factors". Health experts repeatedly warn, "that factors such as overweight or obesity, too little exercise, smoking, unhealthy diets high in fat and salt, or excessive alcohol consumption can promote the onset of heart disease." Other risk factors include stress or pre-existing conditions such as diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia (elevated cholesterol) and arteriosclerosis (arteriosclerosis).

Avoid possible avoidable risks
In addition to these factors, which are independent of body size, smaller people also have a statistically significant risk factor that they can not influence, researchers say. You should therefore pay even more attention to largely avoiding the avoidable risks. Diseases of the coronary arteries are among the leading causes of death worldwide. Among other things, they can cause sudden cardiac death. (Ad)