Inflammation is Wreaking Havoc on Your Body

Inflammation. Sure it's not as blatant as your weight, what’s on your dinner plate or in your wine glass. In fact, it's not apparent at all because you can't even see it, but it’s wreaking havoc on your body. 

Cardiologists are talking about inflammation because more doctors are beginning to believe it is a key risk factor that has been previously overlooked, especially in women. A few years ago, inflammation caused a media storm in the cardiology world. A study showed that, particularly in women, inflammation is a more accurate predictor of heart disease than a high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol level. Multiple tests can check for inflammation, but the high-sensitivity c-reactive protein has been shown to show inflammation in the arteries. Since this original research, there have been other markers more sensitive to detect inflammation, and this wasn’t something previous risk-analysis methods ever looked at. When this risk factor was added, many supposedly 'not at-risk women were suddenly 'at-risk.'

Remember your endothelium? Those cuts and tears you are trying to avoid can cause inflammation in your arteries, and long-term chronic inflammation compromises the artery’s flexibility and strength, significantly increasing your risk of a heart attack. If you have inflammation, there could be many causes, from infection to an autoimmune disease. Still, for many people, inflammation is probably caused by health-compromising habits like smoking and a poor diet, and also by excess belly fat. When toxic substances keep assaulting the endothelium, it will get sore and inflamed after a while. Those inflammatory cells migrate together as little soldiers to protect the artery, leading to more inflammation. That’s when things can start to go very wrong with your heart.

You are at low risk of developing cardiovascular disease due to inflammation if your hs-CRP level is lower than 1.0 mg/L. You are at average risk if your levels are between 1.0 to 3.0 mg/L and high risk if your level is above 3.0 mg/L. 

You can’t feel it, you can’t see it, but inflammation is there. It might be why plaque develops in the arteries, triggering heart attacks and strokes. The only way to know if you have it is to get the test.