“The risk factors we usually think about — like high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking — are fundamental things we can point to as reasons why someone has had a heart attack or what should be addressed to help prevent a heart attack,” says Charles Defendorf, DO, a member of the Medical Staff of Penn Medicine Princeton Health. “Inflammation has now been added to the list of important things to watch. In fact, it has been found that elevated inflammation is an important marker we can use to identify people who are at risk of having a heart attack, even if not having numerous risk factors.”
Identifying High Inflammation
Inflammation is a natural part of the body’s immune system, where white blood cells are sent to a damaged area to help fight off infection and promote healing. But inflammation can also be triggered by certain diseases and lifestyle choices, causing chronic inflammation, which leads to the continuous release of white blood cells.
Chronic inflammation irritates your blood vessels, and can promote the growth of plaque in your arteries and trigger blood clots, leading to a heart attack or stroke. These conditions can go undetected because they often do not cause noticeable symptoms.
“We can determine the level of inflammation in the body through blood work that shows your C-Reactive protein levels,” says Dr. Defendorf, who is board certified in internal medicine. “When elevated inflammation is identified, we can then make recommendations to help reduce the risk of a heart attack.”
Reduce inflammation by: |
|
|
|