Adults between the ages of 18 and 57 who have suffered from an allergic disorder had a higher risk of high blood pressure, according to the research, which will be presented at the American College of Cardiology and Korean Society of Cardiology’s spring conference in Gyeongju, South Korea.
The highest risk for high blood pressure was found among people with asthma, researchers said.
High blood pressure and cholesterol, along with a lack of exercise, obesity, diabetes, smoking and a family history of cardiovascular issues, are all key contributors to heart disease, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Asthma highest risk
Previous studies have also found a correlation between allergic disorders and heart disease, but the link was controversial, the researchers said. In this latest research, scientists tested their hypothesis using data on over 10,000 people with allergies who participated in the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, a government-led survey of the United States population.
In addition to the risk for high blood pressure, the research also found a higher risk for coronary heart disease for people between the ages of 39 and 57 with allergies. Coronary heart disease occurs when plaque builds up in the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Based on their findings, researcher encouraged clinicians to add a cardiovascular risk assessment to clinical examinations of people with asthma and allergies. “For patients with allergic disorders, routine evaluation of blood pressure and routine examination for coronary heart disease should be given by clinicians to ensure early treatments are given to those with hypertension or coronary heart disease,” said lead study author Yang Guo, a postdoctoral researcher at Peking University Shenzhen Hospital in China, in a statement.
