A nasty sore throat could leave patients at higher risk of heart attack and stroke, a new study has found.
University of Southampton researchers discovered that patients with throat problems, caused by a viral infection or acid reflux, were less able to regulate their blood pressure and heart rate.
They believe the link is due to nerve damage in the throat impacting the baroreflex – a crucial part of the nervous system responsible for detecting changes in blood pressure and adjusting the heart rate accordingly.
Patients with throat problems were less able to regulate their blood pressure and heart rate
When the body is fighting off a viral infection, the throat’s Vagal nerve – integral for separating the air and food passages – can become overwhelmed.
This can feel like a lump in the throat and the need to clear the throat or cough. To compensate for the damage to this reflex, the body’s nervous system has to expend large amounts of energy maintaining a safe airway.
As a result, less energy is spent on controlling the baroreflex, leaving the body’s blood pressure and heart rate poorly regulated.
More than 100,000 people in the UK suffer heart attacks each year, with a similar number having a stroke.
That number has risen since the Covid-19 pandemic, with an average of 500 additional deaths from cardiovascular disease occurring each week.
And while the Covid virus itself has been shown to damage the heart, scientists now believe some of these deaths could be due to nerve damage in the throat caused by viral infections such as flu.
‘If there is a chance throat problems can affect functions like the baroreflex… then they need more consideration,’ says Professor Reza Nouraei.
