11 June 2010
Drawing the short straw with heart disease
Short people are more likely to develop heart disease than tall people, according to a paper published in the European Heart Journal.
Results from recent research suggests that height may be another risk factor for coronary heart disease. The researchers analysed 52 different studies on the rate of heart disease, heart attacks and angina. The studies included more than three million men and women, and each study contained details of the participant's height.
The researchers compared the shortest and tallest people in the studies. Short men were defined as being below 165.4cm (5'4") and tall men above 177.5cm (5'8"), whereas short women were below 153cm (5') and tall women over 166.4cm (5'5").
The results showed that people in the short group were one and a half times more likely to develop heart disease than those in the tall group. The short men and women were also more at risk of having a heart attack. As a comparison, smoking is one of the major causes of heart disease and it doubles your risk of a heart attack.
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Dr Peter Mace, Assistant Medical Director for Bupa |
It's not possible to change your height, but we can all take steps to minimise our risk of heart disease. 
The Finnish team admit that while the results suggest a link between height and heart disease, they are not exactly sure of the reasons why. Based on the findings of previous studies, they suggest that short people may have narrower coronary arteries. The coronary arteries supply your heart muscle with blood. Heart disease is caused when fatty deposits, or plaques build up, narrowing the coronary arteries. Sometimes the plaque may rupture, which causes your blood to clot. This can stop an area of your heart muscle receiving blood and oxygen, leading to a heart attack.
Commenting on the research, Dr Peter Mace, Assistant Medical Director for Bupa, said: "Although this study shows a link between height and risk of heart disease, it's important to pay attention to those risk factors that you can influence if you want to minimise your risk of heart disease. It's not possible to change your height, but we can all take steps to minimise our risk of heart disease by losing excess weight and eating a healthy, balanced diet. We should also aim to do 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, at least five times a week. Most importantly don't smoke.
"Currently at Bupa, we offer a supplementary Coronary Health check, which offers a scan to detect the early signs of coronary heart disease. It's suitable for anyone between 40 and 69 years old and can be added to one of the core health assessments or done as a stand alone assessment."
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