Obese People More Likely To Survive A Heart Attack Than Those With A Healthy BMI, Say Scientists

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Obese people could be more likely to survive a heart attack than those with a healthy BMI, according to new research.

A study of tissue, which was collected from heart surgery patients, found fat surrounding damaged blood vessels released chemicals that could battle heart disease.

Scientists revealed how the heart, and the arteries supplying blood to it, send out an SOS to the fat surrounding these tissues in order to stimulate a defence mechanism against the early stages of coronary heart disease.

During oxidative stress (a process that leads to the furring of the arteries known as atherosclerosis), the fat surrounding the vessels and heart releases chemicals that minimise this oxidative stress and help to prevent the development of coronary heart disease.

These chemicals are anti-inflammatory to minimise the inflammation triggered by oxidative stress and anti-oxidant to target the damaging process itself.

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"Fat has a bad reputation but we’re learning more and more about how and why certain types of fat in the body are actually essential for good heart health," said Professor Charalambos Antoniades, associate professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Oxford.

Presenting at the British Cardiovascular Society Conference, Dr Antoniades, said: "These findings are an important step towards a treatment that ensures this fat stays on-side throughout our lives to help prevent heart disease."

So, while obese people have an increased risk of developing heart disease, they're also more likely to survive.

In their next body of research, the team hope to discover how these healthy processes can be weakened if the fat is unhealthy, as can be the case if a person has type 2 diabetes. They are developing treatments to reverse the process so this particular type of fat has a positive impact all the time.

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7 Proven Ways To Prevent Heart Disease

2,000 extra daily steps = 10% lower risk(01 of07)

In this global study, adults over 50 who were at high risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes who walked an additional 2,000 steps a day—about 20 minutes of brisk walking—reduced their risk of having a cardiovascular “event,” such as a heart attack or stroke, by 10 percent over the next six years. “Other than not smoking, nothing comes close to physical activity for prevention,” says Dr. Church. “Hundreds, if not thousands, of papers support it.” Achieving the goal of being physically active for 150 minutes a week, including strength training a couple of days a week, can reduce your cardiovascular risk by about 25 percent, he says. “There’s a dose response, which means the more you exercise, the more you benefit.” The biggest benefit, though, comes from going from sedentary to mildly active, such as walking 10 minutes a day. Says Dr. Church, “The biggest bang is just getting off the couch.” (credit:Shutterstock)

An 7 extra grams of fiber daily = 9% lower risk(02 of07)

In a meta-analysis of 22 studies, British researchers found that people who ate seven more grams of dietary fiber had a nine percent lower risk of heart disease. How much is that? A medium apple has 5 grams of dietary fiber, as does a half cup of cooked broccoli. A half cup of cooked lentils: 8 grams. Fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and whole grains are all good sources of fiber. “Fiber has beneficial effects on blood glucose and cholesterol, and it may keep your gastrointestinal tract healthier, reducing inflammation,” says Dr. Church. “Eating more fiber is also a marker of a healthier diet.” (credit:Shutterstock)

Daily glass of wine = 25% lower risk(03 of07)

“It’s pretty powerful,” says Dr. Church. “Drinking in moderation cuts your risk of heart disease by about 25 percent.” That’s defined as no more than one daily drink for a woman, two for a man. Not everyone can drink moderately, of course, but if you can, research shows it’s heart healthy.“It relaxes your blood vessels, so you can’t form a clot while alcohol’s on board,” says Dr. Church. “Any alcohol has benefits, but wine has a little more,” says Dr. Church. The healthiest pattern: “A drink or two every couple of days.” (credit:Shutterstock)

Multivitamins = zero heart benefit(04 of07)

The Agency for Healthcare Research Quality, a federal research agency, recently concluded that simply taking a multivitamin/multimineral pill won’t reduce your risk of heart disease. “It’s no surprise,” says Dr. Church. After all, preventing heart disease isn’t what multis are built to do—they’re to shore up nutrient deficiencies. “While the evidence for heart disease prevention isn’t there,” says Dr. Church, “taking multis won’t hurt you.” As for research that low vitamin D is associated with a 27 percent increased risk of developing heart disease, Dr. Church thinks it’s simply a marker for an inactive lifestyle, meaning since most people get their vitamin D from the sun, “people with high vitamin D levels are outside more—and probably more active,” he says. If you do have low D levels, Dr. Church supports taking supplements. But whether it will affect heart health isn’t fully clear. What he does think makes a difference: Omega 3 fatty acids, found primarily in fatty fish such as salmon. The American Heart Association recommends that healthy adults eat at least two fish meals a week. But if you don’t, won’t, or can’t, you may want to consider a 1-gram Omega supplement that includes both EPA and DHA, two forms of Omega 3s found in fish. While the heart disease preventive benefits of taking Omega 3 supplements hasn’t been established, says Dr. Church, “there is a lot of strong epidemiological evidence for Omega 3s. I’m a big proponent — I believe there’s value there.” (credit:Shutterstock)

Flu shot = 36% lower risk(05 of07)

This one has a catch—it’s about people who already have heart disease. A recent analysis found that in people with existing heart disease, getting the flu shot reduces the risk of cardiovascular events like a heart attack by 36 percent. “Getting the flu puts great stress on your body and increases the risk of having another heart attack,” says Dr. Church. A flu shot is a good idea for everyone—it’s not too late since flu peaks around the end of February, beginning of March!—and if you’re at high cardiovascular risk, or already have heart disease, that little jab could be a lifesaver. (credit:Shutterstock)

Mediterranean Diet = 30% lower risk(06 of07)

A major Spanish study found that men and women aged 55 to 80 who ate a Mediterranean diet were 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack or stroke, or die from heart disease, over the next five years. The most protective elements: olive oil as the primary fat, moderate alcohol (mostly from wine), lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and fish, and low consumption of meat. Just this week, a new American study of firefighters from the Midwest who followed a Mediterranean-style diet had lower cardiovascular risk factors: less belly fat, lower “bad” LDL cholesterol, and higher “good” HDL cholesterol. The great thing about Mediterranean studies is that they capture not just one healthy element but a pattern—a lifestyle. “We should look at risk factor clusters, and the Mediterranean lifestyle captures that,” says Dr. Church. Add the physical activity that’s part of a traditional Mediterranean lifestyle, and it’s really the big picture. (credit:Shutterstock)

A healthy lifestyle = 25% less chance of dying from heart disease(07 of07)

Talk about big picture. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently estimated that if everyone didn’t smoke, ate a healthy diet, exercised regularly, achieved a healthy weight, and got regular checkups so they could control risk factors such as high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels, then death from heart disease would fall by 25 percent. That’s 200,000 lives saved – each year. (credit:Shutterstock)

By using a newly developed technology based on high resolution computerised tomography (CT), they are also trying to monitor the behaviour of fat in the human body, and guide future therapeutic interventions to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

This could allow doctors to detect the earliest stages of heart disease and urgently direct treatment to prevent the development of the disease which can ultimately lead to a heart attack.

According to the British Heart Foundation (BHF), cardiovascular disease kills one in four people in the UK.

Professor Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at the BHF, which helped fund the research, said: "There’s still a huge amount we don’t know about how heart disease develops and what processes in the body can help prevent it from happening.

"This high quality research carried out in people and using human tissue has provided new perspectives on the roles of fat in heart disease and has implications for future treatment."

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