Could Constipation Be a Risk to the Heart?

Constipation appears to increase a person’s risk of heart problems Constipation was tied to a 2.7 times increase in the risk of heart failure and a 2.4 times increase in stroke High blood pressure further increased the heart risk from constipation WEDNESDAY, Oct.

30, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Constipation might increase a person’s risk of having a heart attack or stroke, particularly if they also have high blood pressure, a new study warns. People who are constipated have twice the risk of a major heart health problem compared to those with normal bowel habits, researchers report. Specifically, they are 2.

7 times more likely to have heart failure, 2.4 times more likely to suffer a stroke and 1.6 times more likely to experience a heart attack or chest pain, results showed.

Identifying this link could help scientists “discover new therapeutic interventions and implement more effective management strategies based on individual risk assessment in line with precision medicine principles,” wrote the research team led by Dr. Tenghao Zheng , a clinical data analyst at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.

For the study, researchers analyzed health data on more than 400,000 people participating in the U.K. Biobank research project.

The Biobank contains electronic health records, lifestyle surveys and self-reported health conditions and medication use. Recent research has found that constipation is associated with high blood pressure and heart disease, researchers sa.