History of allergies associated with risk of high blood pressure, heart disease

According to a study, adults with a history of allergic disorders have an increased risk of blood pressure and coronary heart disease, with the highest risk seen in black male adults.

The findings of the study were published in the journal, ‘Society of Cardiology’.

“For patients with allergic disorders, routine evaluation of blood pressure and routine examination for coronary heart disease should be given by clinicians to ensure early treatments are given to those with hypertension or coronary heart disease,” said Yang Guo, lead author of the study.

Previous studies reported an association between allergic disorders and cardiovascular disease, which remain controversial findings, Guo said. The current study aimed to determine whether adults with allergic disorders have increased cardiovascular risk.

The study used 2012 data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which is a cross-sectional survey of the United States population. The allergic group included adults with at least one allergic disorder, including asthma, respiratory allergy, digestive allergy, skin allergy and other allergies.

Overall, the study included 34,417 adults, over half of whom were women and averaged 48.5 years old. The allergic group included 10,045 adults. The researchers adjusted for age, sex, race, smoking, alcohol drinking and body mass index; they also examined subgroups stratified by demographic factors.

The researchers found a history of allergic disorders was associated with an increased risk of developing high blood pressure and coronary heart disease. In further analyses, individuals with a history of allergic disorders between ages 18 and 57 had a higher risk of high blood pressure.

A higher risk of coronary heart disease was seen in study participants who were between ages 39-57, male and Black/African American. Asthma contributed most to the risk of high blood pressure and coronary heart disease.

“Further large cohort studies with long-term follow-up are needed to confirm our findings,” Guo said.

“Additionally, appreciating the underlying mechanism may help future management in such individuals,” he concluded.