How Throat Problems Affect Blood Pressure and Heart Health

Discover how throat problems affect baroreflex sensitivity and disrupt blood pressure regulation which leads to heart disease.

A new study found that patients with throat issues had a decreased ability to regulate their blood pressure.

The study published in JAMA Otolaryngology is the first to reveal that patients with throat complaints showed decreased baroreflex sensitivity.

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An essential component of the autonomic nervous system is the baroreflex, which recognizes fluctuations in blood pressure and regulates blood vessel tone and heart rate to maintain blood pressure stability. It prevents fainting when we stand up.

Researchers believe that the Vagas nerve, which regulates the autonomic nervous system, prioritizes airway protection over less critical processes like blood pressure regulation, potentially explaining the results.

Humans' immediate survival depends on the throat's capacity to separate air and food passage while they swallow.

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Throat Conditions Affect Baroreflex Sensitivity

The throat uses delicate reflexes to accomplish this; however, when these reflexes are disrupted, by viral infections like COVID or reflux that affects the nerves in this area, the reflex is compromised.

This can lead to symptoms like coughing, clearing the throat, and feeling like there is a lump in the throat.

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In patients with a dysfunctional throat, the autonomic nervous system works harder to keep the airway open. This makes the heart's baroreflex function, which regulates blood pressure and heart rate, less effective.

Essentially, the reflexes normally used to maintain heart function are used to compensate for the impaired throat reflexes.

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Weakening of one system to support another can likely impact long-term survival, as patients with reduced baroreflex function are more likely to die of a heart attack or stroke in the years to come.

Thirty patients with digestive (esophagogastric) symptoms and twenty-three patients with aerodigestive (laryngopharyngeal) symptoms compared heart rates, blood pressure, and baroreflex sensitivity (a measure of how the heart reacts to variations in blood pressure).

Acid reflux was a common cause of symptoms in both groups - making up the majority of digestive group cases. Other causes like thinning of the vocal cord were present in the aerodigestive group.

The study revealed that patients in the aerodigestive group had higher resting heart rates, lower blood pressure, and reduced baroreflex sensitivity compared to those with digestive symptoms.

This suggests a potential connection between throat dysfunction and cardiovascular health. COVID or other pulmonary conditions can damage nerves, leading to an increase in throat issues.

Reduced baroreflex sensitivity can impact survival, irrespective of other cardiovascular risks. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment will be crucial if future studies confirm this condition.

The research has shed light on the importance of the vagus nerve in regulating vital functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and digestion. Treating throat problems can alleviate strain on the vagus nerve, allowing it to regulate other body systems.

If throat issues can disrupt important functions like the baroreflex and overall well-being, they should receive more attention in clinical care.

The research team plans to further investigate the long-term effects of throat conditions on the autonomic nervous system and evaluate the impact of potential treatments.

Reference:

Baroreflex Sensitivity in Patients With Laryngopharyngeal Dysfunction—The Overwhelmed Vagus Hypothesis - (https:jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/article-abstract/2822946)

Source-Medindia