Recent respiratory infections multiply risk of heart attack

Nicholas Leider | | Cardiovascular Business | Interventional Cardiology

Australian researchers have announced patients who recently had respiratory infections are 17 times more likely to experience heart attack. The findings, published in the Internal Medicine Journal, could be related to such infections activating blood cells and the body's clotting system.

"It peaks in the first seven days and gradually reduces but remains elevated for one month," said lead author Geoff Tofler of the University of Sydney and the Royal North Shore Hospital. "This is the first study to report an association between respiratory infections such as pneumonia, influenza and bronchitis and increased risk of heart attack in patients confirmed by coronary angiography."

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Respiratory infections increase heart attack risk, Australian doctors say

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Nicholas Leider, Managing Editor

Nicholas joined TriMed in 2016 as the managing editor of the Chicago office. After receiving his master’s from Roosevelt University, he worked in various writing/editing roles for magazines ranging in topic from billiards to metallurgy. Currently on Chicago’s north side, Nicholas keeps busy by running, reading and talking to his two cats.

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