Adult asthma tied to heart disease in women

updated 8:57 p.m. ET June 3, 2008

NEW YORK - Asthma that begins in adulthood appears to increase the risk of heart disease and stroke in women but not in men, according to a report in the American Journal of Cardiology.

Adult-onset asthma, like other inflammatory diseases that disproportionately affect women such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, may be a relatively strong risk factor for heart disease and stroke, Dr. Stephen J. Onufrak from the US Department of Agriculture, Stoneville, Mississippi told Reuters Health.

Onufrak and colleagues used data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study to examine the association of asthma with the risks of heart disease and stroke according to gender.

They found that, compared with their counterparts without asthma, women with adult-onset asthma had a 2.10-fold increase in the rate of heart disease and a 2.36-fold increase in the rate of stroke.

There was no association between childhood- or adult-onset asthma and heart disease or stroke in men, or between childhood-onset asthma and heart or stroke in women.

While this research could have treatment implications, “I believe the results need to be replicated in another (study group) prior to establishment of any concrete recommendations,” Onufrak said.

Don't miss this on msnbc.com Health   Playgroup politics fuel mama drama   Heavy teens run risk of severe liver damage Untangling the truth about crazy hair Protecting yourself against quiet cancers Gooping on denture cream can be health hazard

MORE FROM HEART HEALTH

Heart health Section Front

Study: New heart drug can cut stroke risk Bypass may be better than stents long-term Smoking riskier for women's hearts than men's Fish oil helps patients with chronic heart failure U.S. probes possible Vytorin link to cancer Sleepless nights can hike teens’ blood pressure Best way to a clogged heart? Through the wrist Drugs as good as stents for many heart patients Looking for heart disease? The eyes have it Being skinny is no guarantee of a healthy heart Heart health Section Front   Add Heart health headlines to your news reader: