Along with the many life changes we make post-diagnosis, we also have to deal with the other illnesses we are at high risk for; Coronary Artery Disease being one of them.
Those of us with Celiac Disease are twice as likely to develop Coronary Artery Disease than the general population, this according to R.D. Gajulapalli M.D. Gajulapalli said this about the discovery:
“People with celiac disease have some persistent low-grade inflammation in the gut that can spill immune mediators into the bloodstream, which can then accelerate the process of atherosclerosis and, in turn, coronary artery disease. Our findings reinforce the idea that chronic inflammation, whether it’s from an infection or a disease, can have an adverse role in coronary artery disease and heart health in general.”
Researchers studied medical records of patients from more than a dozen hospitals. Over 24,000 of these patients were diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Compared to the control group, Celiacs had a higher prevalence of Coronary Artery Disease.
Gajulapalli said this in his conclusion:
“This is an important study because it highlights a specific patient population who might be at higher risk for coronary artery disease, even in the absence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. We were surprised by the strength of the association, especially in younger people. Patients and doctors should be aware of this association. Whether patients with celiac disease will need more intense risk factor modification like in diabetic patients with coronary artery disease will need to be studied.”
My thoughts:
I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling overwhelmed by these findings. We Celiacs have enough on our plate to deal with. Unfortunately, this is a reality that we need to face head-on.
I hope all my fellow Celiacs will join me in bringing up this study to our doctors. I see mine next month (both my PCP and my GI doctor). I'm going to print this out for both of them to read. This specific matter of the heart should not be ignored. Our risk is two-fold.
To find out more about Coronary Artery Disease, click here.
