YAHOO! – A new study connects bacteria found in the mouth to heart attacks.
Does this mean heart attacks could be infectious? The findings aren’t quite that simple, but they are interesting. And they could give you even more reason not to skip brushing your teeth at night.
Meet the Experts:
Elizabeth Klodas M.D., F.A.C.C., chief medical officer and founder of Step One Foods, Deepak Ravi, M.D., interventional cardiologist with Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange County, California, Tracy Paeschke M.D., a board-certified cardiologist who specializes in preventative cardiology, and Ernst von Schwarz, M.D., a triple board-certified clinical and academic cardiologist and clinical professor of medicine at UCLA.
Below, experts explain the research and connect the dots to past, similar studies. They also share key takeaway and provide actionable advice for a full-body approach to heart health.
What did the study find?
The study, conducted in Finland and published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, evaluated 121 autopsies from victims of heart attack-related sudden death and 96 patients undergoing surgery to unclog their arteries.
Specifically, they sampled and analyzed coronary plaques (the cholesterol-heavy fatty deposits that build up on artery walls) from both groups.
Then, using sophisticated genetic and microbiologic techniques, the plaques were examined for the presence of bacteria and for evidence of immune system response to said bacteria, explains Elizabeth Klodas M.D., F.A.C.C., chief medical officer and founder of Step One Foods.
Interestingly, researchers discovered the DNA of Viridians streptococcal, a type of bacteria often found in the mouth and digestive tract, in over 40% of their samples from both groups.
In comparison, normal, unclogged arteries have been found to have less bacteria, explains Deepak Ravi, M.D., interventional cardiologist with Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange County, California …
