Exploring the relationship between Asthma and risks of Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract

Background: Asthma is a prevalent chronic inflammatory condition of the airways, which has increasingly been linked to extrapulmonary comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease (CVD). While prior studies have suggested potential associations between asthma and CVD, the evidence remains inconsistent, particularly across different population subgroups. Objective: To explore the association between asthma and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Methodology: The present study included 540 participants, comprising 270 individuals diagnosed with asthma and 270 age- and sex-matched non-asthmatic controls. Detailed clinical evaluations, structured questionnaires, and medical record reviews were used to ascertain cardiovascular outcomes, including coronary artery disease, stroke, and heart failure. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for relevant confounders. Results: Results showed that CVD was significantly more prevalent in the participants in the asthma group (29.6%) as compared to the participants in the control group (17.4%). Among CVDs, coronary artery disease (CAD) was the most common (18.9%), followed by heart failure and cerebrovascular events. Multivariate logistic regression results showed that asthma (p< 0.05), age (p-value = 0.007), BMI (p-value = 0.045), smoking (p-value 0.043), and hypertension (p-value 0.001) were independently associated with a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Conclusion: Frequency of CVD was more in asthma group as compared with non-asthmatic participants. The present study also concludes that asthma was a risk for increased risk of cardiovascular disease. These findings underscore the need for integrated management strategies targeting respiratory and cardiovascular health in asthmatic individuals.