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Once thought of as a solitary pump, the heart is now known to affect, and be affected by, virtually all parts of the body. A special section of the Harvard Heart Letter explores interactions between the heart and brain, lungs, skin, bones, sex organs, and other parts of the body.
Lungs. Chronic lung diseases, like emphysema, can enlarge the heart’s right ventricle. The breathing problem known as sleep apnea can affect blood pressure. In the other direction, heart failure can cause breathlessness and fluid accumulation in the lungs.
Kidneys. The heart and kidneys are tightly linked. Even mild kidney damage increases the chances of having a heart attack or stroke, or dying from one of these. And heart disease may be a warning that the kidneys are under siege.
Brain. Depression, loneliness, anxiety, anger, chronic stress, and other emotions can promote heart disease or make it worse. High blood pressure, cholesterol-clogged arteries, in-flammation, and other risk factors for heart disease contribute to Alzheimer’s disease and a condition called vascular dementia.
Skin. For years cardiologists have looked to the skin for signs of heart dis-ease. Yellowish eruptions can signal a cholesterol-processing disorder, while bluish lips and cheeks can be a tip-off of trouble with the mitral valve. New research suggests that psoriasis, a lifelong skin disorder, is somehow linked to heart disease.
This special section also discusses connections between the heart and bones, the liver, the testes and ovaries, teeth and gums, thyroid gland, and other parts of the body.
(Source: Harvard Heart Letter, Harvard Health Publications, September 2009)
