Loss of smell could indicate fatal heart disease, scientists say

Loss of smell can indicate something as harmless as a cold, but also a life-threatening illness. Scientists have discovered that people with impaired sense of smell have a higher risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD).

Coronary heart disease, including angina pectoris (chest pain), acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), and other chronic ischemic heart diseases, is caused by arteriosclerosis. This involves the formation of thickenings in the walls of the coronary arteries, which can cause a blood vessel to become partially or completely blocked, resulting in a lack of oxygen in the heart beyond the blockage. This is also called a heart attack.

People who exercise little , smoke, and drink a lot of alcohol have a higher risk of developing coronary heart disease. Key signs of a heart attack include tightness in the chest, radiating pain to the left shoulder or left arm, as well as sweating, nausea, and vomiting. A pale and gray complexion and shortness of breath are also important signs. Coronary heart disease is often overlooked or only discovered when it is already too late.

And that makes the recent discovery by scientists at Michigan State University all the more significant. They have discovered that loss of smell can be an important early warning sign of coronary heart disease. Their findings, published in the journal JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery , could lead to earlier detection of coronary heart disease.

For the study, scientists examined the health data of 5,142 adults with an average age of 75. None of these individuals had a history of coronary heart disease. Their sense of smell was measured, with a score of 11 to 12 being good, a score of 9 to 10 moderate, and a score of 0 to 8 poor. The health data of these individuals was then re-examined several times over a period of 10 years. After 10 years, the scientists discovered that 280 adults had coronary heart disease.

Of these people, 83 (4.4 percent) had a good sense of smell, 101 (5.9 percent) had a moderate sense of smell, and 96 (6.3 percent) had a poor sense of smell. “Compared with a good sense of smell, a poor sense of smell was associated with a two-fold increased risk of cardiovascular disease during the first four years of follow-up,” the researchers said. According to lead researcher Dr. Honglei Chen, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Michigan State University, a poor sense of smell can be caused by nasal polyps or neurodegenerative conditions like dementia , but it can also indicate an unhealthy cardiovascular system. That's because damaged blood vessels in the nose can negatively affect your sense of smell.

A poor sense of smell can also affect your health in other ways, which in turn can contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease. "It can affect the way older adults eat, but also their mental health and physical well-being," says Chen. He emphasizes, however, that more research is needed to confirm their observations and investigate their possible explanations.

Did you know that the neighborhood you live in can also have a significant impact on the development of cardiovascular disease? Read more about it here.

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