Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 24, 2026
Bronchial Thermoplasty: A Novel Therapeutic Approach to Severe Asthma
Published on: November 4, 2010
Are patients with asthma at increased risk of coronary heart disease?
Carlos Iribarren1, Irina V Tolstykh, Mark D Eisner
1Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, 2000 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612, USA. cgi@dor.kaiser.org
Insights
Asthma is linked to a higher risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in women, but not in men. This epidemiological study highlights a potential connection between asthma and cardiovascular health in women.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Epidemiology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Inflammation is a key factor in athero-thrombosis.
- Asthma's chronic inflammatory nature suggests a potential link to coronary heart disease (CHD).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between asthma and the prospective risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD).
Main Methods:
- A cohort study of 70,047 men and 81,573 women aged 18-85.
- Asthma ascertained by self-report and hospitalization records.
- Follow-up for a median of 27 years, with CHD as the primary endpoint.
Main Results:
- Asthma was associated with a 1.22-fold increased hazard of CHD in women, independent of risk factors.
- This association was consistent across smoking statuses and age groups in women.
- No significant association between asthma and CHD was observed in men.
Conclusions:
- Asthma is independently linked to a modest, statistically significant increase in CHD risk among women.
- Further research is needed to validate these preliminary epidemiological findings.
Background:
Inflammation plays a role in the pathogenesis of athero-thrombosis. Because of the chronic, inflammatory nature of asthma, we hypothesized a possible link asthma and prospective risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).
Methods:
We performed a cohort study among 70 047 men and 81 573 women, 18-85 years old, enrolled in a large managed care organization in Northern California. Asthma was ascertained by self-report at baseline in 1964-1973 and/or interim hospitalization for asthma during follow-up. The primary endpoint was combined non-fatal or fatal CHD.
Results:
After a median follow-up time of 27 years, and adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, education level, smoking status, alcohol consumption, body mass index, serum total cholesterol, white blood cell count, hypertension, diabetes, and history of occupational exposures, asthma was associated with a 1.22-fold (95% CI: 1.14, 1.31) increased hazard of CHD among women. This association was seen both in never and in ever smoking women, and in younger and older women. By contrast, asthma was not associated with CHD among men (multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio = 0.99; 95% CI: 0.93, 1.05).
Conclusions:
Asthma was independently associated with a modest but statistically significant increased hazard of CHD among women. Further studies are warranted to confirm or refute these preliminary epidemiological findings.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Asthma-I: Introduction
01:28Asthma I: Introduction
01:24Asthma-III: Symptoms and Complications
Classification of Asthma
01:13Asthma III: Clinical Manifestations
01:20Asthma: Pathogenesis and Management
Asthma is classified as allergic and non-allergic. Allergens such as dust mites, pollen, and pet dander trigger allergic asthma, while factors like cold air, intense emotions, or exercise can induce non-allergic asthma.
01:26Asthma-II: Pathophysiology and Classification
Additionally, environmental and genetic factors play crucial roles in determining an individual's susceptibility to asthma and the severity of their condition.
Critical processes in asthma pathophysiology include: