Inflammation: The Real Cause of Heart Attacks

Inflammation in your arteries can lead to a heart attack. Learn how to protect your arteries and lower your risk.

Contributor

Robert N Sinha, M.D.

Mills-Peninsula Medical Center

Eden Medical Center

Inflammation can be good for your body…or bad.

Imagine you turn your ankle while hiking. Your body instantly activates your immune system to deal with the damage, sending an army of specialized cells to the area to make repairs. As those cells go to work, you start to see and feel the signs of inflammation: swelling, redness, heat. It’s painful, but it’s good.

Now imagine a coronary artery that has been injured – by tobacco smoke, high blood pressure, or other factors.

The injury again triggers the inflammatory process, and the area gets flooded with cells and other responding substances. In this case, however, some of those responders can do more harm than good. They can trigger a cascade of events – including disrupted plaque deposits and blood clots that cut off blood flow to the heart – that lead to a heart attack.

“It’s rampant inflammation that causes heart attacks, not high cholesterol,” says Ronesh Sinha, M.D., an internal medicine doctor at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. “In fact, more than half of all heart attacks occur in people who have normal cholesterol levels. Many of those people were diligently taking their cholesterol medications, but still doing things that can contribute to inflammation, including eating the wrong foods, overstressing, sitting too much, and accumulating ever more belly fat.”

“If you want to keep your heart healthy and prevent a heart attack, you need to protect your arteries from inflammation,” he says.

What can you do? Plenty. “Smoking and high blood pressure can both trigger the inflammatory response in your arteries, so quitting smoking and keeping your blood pressure under control can help a lot,” Dr. Sinha says.

More tips from Dr. Sinha:

Eat Well

Substances known as free radicals can damage your blood vessels. Free radicals can result from a diet heavy with processed foods and lacking in natural antioxidants. A better choice is the Mediterranean diet: eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, and nuts, and choose the healthy fats found in avocados, fish and olive oil. If you drink alcohol, choose red wine. Have a couple squares of dark chocolate (best with 70 percent or more cacao). Avoid foods with high-fructose corn syrup and trans fats.

“You might be tempted to pop some antioxidant vitamins to try to get the same effect,” Dr. Sinha says. “But these can be ineffective or even harmful. You won’t even come close to the benefits that result from getting your antioxidants through nutrition.”

Exercise

Exercise causes the release of chemicals like nitric oxide, which keeps your arteries relaxed. Gym workouts are good, but also be sure to get plenty of exercise throughout your day. Aim for 8,000-10,000 steps daily, keeping track with a pedometer, fitness tracker band or phone app.

Get Rid of Belly Fat

Virtually all of the ingredients needed for a heart attack can be found right inside those belly fat cells, including inflammatory chemicals and chemicals that cause increased blood clotting.

A diet that is high in carbohydrates is a major cause of belly fat, due to the increase in insulin they can trigger. So keep an eye on the sweets, sodas, breads, and all those so-called low-fat foods that may be making you fatter.

Watch Your Emotions

Excessive and persistent stress, anger, depression, hostility, and worry can cause low-grade inflammation.

“Overall, try to lead an anti-inflammatory life,” Dr. Sinha advises. “You’ll reduce your risk for heart disease, as well as a growing list of other conditions, such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.”