Lung disease may be independently associated with cardiovascular diseases, particularly ischemic heart disease (IHD) and heart failure (HF), which contribute significantly to all-cause mortality, according to research published March 4 in Journal of the American College of Cardiology which will be presented during ACC.19 in New Orleans, LA.

Paul Carter, MBChB, et al., looked at 31,646 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, 60,424 asthma patients and 1,662 interstitial lung disease (ILD) patients, all of whom were admitted to seven National Health Service hospitals in England between Jan. 1, 2000 and March 31, 2013. Control groups comprised 158,230, 302,120 and 8,310 patients respectively.

Results showed COPD was independently associated with IHD, HF, atrial fibrillation and peripheral vascular disease, all of which were associated with all-cause mortality. Asthma was independently associated with IHD, and multiple cardiovascular diseases contributed to mortality. ILD was independently associated with IHD and HF, both of which were associated with mortality. Despite these findings, researchers also noted that patients with COPD, asthma and ILD were less likely to receive coronary revascularization compared with patients without lung conditions.

These findings are in keeping with those of smaller previous studies. However, the researchers said this is the first study to demonstrate that IHD is independently associated with all-cause mortality in patients with ILD. Similarly, "the study is the first to demonstrate an independent association between ILD and heart failure, and the first to show that heart failure is independently associated with all-cause mortality in ILD, with an associated 1.6-fold increased risk," they said. Looking ahead, "elucidation of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the relationship between respiratory disease and cardiovascular disease is urgently required."

Clinical Topics: Arrhythmias and Clinical EP, Cardiovascular Care Team, Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies, Atherosclerotic Disease (CAD/PAD), Atrial Fibrillation/Supraventricular Arrhythmias, Acute Heart Failure

Keywords: ACC19, ACC Annual Scientific Session, Asthma, Atrial Fibrillation, Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive, Heart Failure, Lung Diseases, Interstitial, Myocardial Ischemia, Peripheral Vascular Diseases, National Health Programs

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