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New Heart Failure Risk Sign You May Notice When Cooking - And Many Are Unaware Of It
A study has found a strong link between loss of sense of smell and heart failure, the single biggest cause of death in the UK. But a third of people don't know they've lost their sense of smell
Losing your sense of smell could be an early red flag that you are at risk of heart failure, a study by Michigan University has found (stock image)(Getty)
Researchers in human health have found a possible connection between heart failure and the loss of one of your key senses. It's a silent symptom many might miss, but if you find yourself cooking a fragrant meal and not smelling those onions sizzle, it could be a sign that you are at risk of heart failure.
In the UK, heart failure is the top cause of death and 1.4 million people live with the condition, which can be treated but not cured. This failure of the heart to pump blood properly can be caused by heart disease, blood pressure problems, and substance abuse, but there are few early warning signs for those at risk.
Medical News Today reports a study from Michigan University that has sniffed out a potential early warning for the deadly condition, a fading sense of smell. For many of us, as we rack up the years, particularly past the 60 mark, our senses can start to decline -something study co-author Keran Chamberlin suggests could be a tell-tale hint of "subclinical cardiovascular changes."
READ MORE: Woman stopped at Australian airport trying to take own heart in her hand luggage
Dr Honlei Chen, another expert behind the study, points out: "Smell loss or impairment affects about a quarter of older adults. The public awareness is low though, only about 30 per cent of those with smell loss know they have it", reports Gloucestershire Live.
The study found a link between losing your sense of smell and developing heart failure(Getty/betsie van der meer)
He continued: "We learned in the past two decades that smell loss is one of the most important early markers of dementia and Parkinson's disease. Interestingly, emerging data, including ours, suggests that smell loss may have more profound implications on the health of older adults, including risk of death, pneumonia, functional decline, and frailty."
The researchers analysed data from a study of 2500 people who had their physical health, including their sense of smell, tracked over more than a decade. They found that those who lost their sense of smell had a 30 per cent higher chance of developing heart failure over those who could smell clearly.
Dr Chen said: "Given what we have discussed about the possible connections between smell loss and cardiovascular health, we are not totally surprised by our finding."
Co-author Chamberlin added: "As heart failure is an advanced multi-faceted syndrome, its progression may be exacerbated by the elevated vulnerability. Therefore, smell loss may be related to cardiovascular health as a marker, contributor, or both."
But, despite finding evidence for a connection between heart failure and loss of sense of smell, the researchers found no link with two of the biggest causes of heart failure - stroke and heart disease.
"We are a bit surprised by the fact that we only identified this association for heart failure, but not for coronary heart disease or stroke," Chamberlin said.
"Admittedly, we do not have a good explanation for this. However, compared to coronary heart disease or stroke, congestive heart failure is a more complex and advanced syndrome with structural or functional cardiac abnormality," she told Medical News Today.
"Besides atherosclerosis, other myocardial stressors can also trigger heart failure hospitalisation. Smell loss may signify higher vulnerability to myocardial stressors beyond atherosclerosis. Nevertheless, our findings are preliminary, waiting for confirmation."
Heart failure symptomsHeart failure is when your heart becomes unable to properly pump blood around your body, usually as a result of the muscle becoming too stiff or weak. It cannot be cured, but it can be treated and controlled.
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The NHS describes the main symptoms of heart failure as:
These symptoms can occur very quickly, known as acute heart failure, or build up gradually over the course of weeks and months, which is chronic heart failure.
If you are worried that you are experiencing heart failure, speak to your GP if you have these persistent symptoms. If you have sudden or very severe symptoms, phone 999 straight away.
Wet Coughs: What To Know
A wet, or productive, cough is a cough that brings up fluid, such as phlegm. It can indicate a respiratory infection, congestive heart failure, and other conditions.
In some cases, the type of cough a person has can help indicate its cause. This is because some underlying conditions produce mainly wet coughs, while others produce mainly dry coughs.
Read on to learn about some other differences between wet and dry coughs, as well as their potential causes. This article also outlines the various treatment options available for a wet cough.
Coughing is a reflex that occurs in response to irritation in the throat or lungs. It is the body's way of removing irritants such as fluid and phlegm.
A wet cough occurs when fluid in the airways triggers the coughing reflex. Since it produces phlegm, a productive cough is another name for a wet cough.
A wet cough can occur for a variety of reasons. Some potential causes include:
Sometimes, a wet cough is accompanied by other symptoms, such as:
These symptoms can provide a clue as to what is causing the wet cough.
Some typical causes of a wet cough include:
InfectionA wet cough often occurs as a result of a respiratory infection. Various types of respiratory infection can lead to an increase in mucus, including:
Other potential symptoms of a respiratory infection include:
BronchiectasisThe bronchial tubes carry air in and out of the lungs. Bronchiectasis is a condition in which the surface tissue of the bronchial tubes becomes thick, floppy, and scarred, with a widening of the tube diameter as a result of chronic inflammation. This results in excess mucus production, which can trigger a wet cough.
Some other potential symptoms of bronchiectasis include:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an umbrella term for a group of chronic and progressive lung conditions. Some of these include:
Some forms of COPD cause damage to the tiny air sacs within the lungs, while others affect the bronchial tubes, the bronchioles, or both. Other symptoms of COPD include:
Congestive heart failure (CHF) occurs when the heart has difficulty pumping blood throughout the body. When this ineffective pumping occurs on the left side of the heart, it causes fluid to leak into the air sacs within the lungs. The result is a wet cough, crackles, and wheezing.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), CHF may produce pink-tinged mucus. Some additional symptoms may include:
Various disease processes affect the lungs in different ways.
A dry cough differs from a wet cough in that it produces no fluid or mucus. It generally develops in response to irritation or inflammation of the airways.
Some common causes of a dry cough include:
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the most common symptoms of COVID-19 are a dry cough, fever, and tiredness. In some people, however, coughing may produce sputum.
The symptoms of COVID-19 are usually mild and tend to begin gradually. Severe COVID-19 can lead to pneumonia. If a person develops pneumonia, they may develop a wet cough.
Instead of suppressing it, wet cough treatments typically aim to improve cough efficiency, thereby helping people clear the airways. Other treatments aim to clear phlegm and associated irritation in the back of the throat.
If the cough is due to an underlying medical condition, a doctor will prescribe specific treatments.
Treatments to improve cough efficiency and clear phlegmSome of the treatments below help improve cough efficiency. Others decrease mucus in the back of the throat, thereby reducing the need to cough.
Antibiotics can help treat a wet cough that occurs due to a bacterial infection. In these instances a person must finish the entire course of antibiotics as prescribed, even if symptoms improve before cessation of antibiotics.
In some cases, a wet cough may indicate a serious underlying health condition, such as a lung or heart condition. If a person is in any doubt as to the cause of their wet cough, they should make an appointment to see their doctor.
People should see a doctor as soon as possible if they experience any of the following symptoms alongside a cough:
Below are frequently asked questions relating to wet coughs.
Why do I have a wet cough with no other symptoms?There are many causes of a wet cough, ranging from viral infections to chronic lung problems. Not all causes of a wet cough cause additional symptoms.
How long should a wet cough last?Most coughs clear up independently within 4 weeks. However, a person's cough duration depends on the cause, health status, and treatments used.
Is a wet cough the end of a cold?A wet, productive cough is a hallmark symptom of a viral cold, but it does not necessarily indicate the end of the infection. Throughout a cold infection, the body produces mucus to trap viral bodies.
Does a wet cough need antibiotics?If the cause of a wet cough is a bacterial infection, then antibiotics can aid treatment and recovery.
Should you spit out phlegm?Spitting and swallowing phlegm are both safe and effective ways of clearing it from the respiratory system.
A wet cough occurs when excess fluid or mucus accumulates in the airways. It can be caused by respiratory infections, chronic lung conditions, or CHF.
Once a doctor has diagnosed the underlying cause of a wet cough, a person can begin appropriate treatment.
The treatment will depend partly on the cause of the wet cough. Medications such as mucolytics and expectorants can help remove mucus from the lungs. Antibiotics can help treat bacterial respiratory infections, while specific CHF medications will be necessary to treat the symptoms of heart failure.
Heart Failure In Men And Women: Understanding The Differences In Symptoms
May 31, 2024, 06:00PM ISTSource: etimes.InDr. Naveen Bhamri, Senior Director and Head of Cardiology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh explains the key differences between the symptoms of heart failure seen in men and women. Heart failure occurs when the heart can't pump blood effectively, leading to symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath, and fluid retention. Causes include coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, and heart attack. Managing heart failure involves lifestyle changes, medications, and sometimes surgery to improve heart function.
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