A new study adds further confirmation to what the medical community has been saying for years now: When it comes to genetics and heart disease, there is a connection.
The study conducted by
Duke University researchers and reported in USNews.com found that genes in about 13 percent of Caucasians studied interacted with stress to trigger heart disease in certain people.
The study looked at genetic data from about 6,000 people and found that people with certain gene variations showed a greater tendency toward obesity based on their hips widening at the same time stress levels rose.
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The study also found a "significant pathway" between the genetic markers and heart disease and diabetes, particularly through narrowing arteries and higher blood sugar levels.
Researchers caution that, while they did discover an association between genes, stress, and heart disease, they couldn’t find a smoking gun, or a cause and effect link.
In another 2014 study conducted by the University of Virginia, researchers studied the genomes of about 5,000 people and discovered underlying genetic markers for cardiovascular disease and stroke.
The findings, published in PLoS Genetics, are expected to help identify new disease prevention and treatment strategies.
Though research is confirming that genetics play a role in our heart health, the dominant factor remains lifestyle choices,
according to studies conducted at Northwestern University. Intergenerational research of heart disease found a minimal genetic linkage. Instead, the study found lifestyle is the largest determinant of heart disease.
This article is for information only and is not intended as medical advice. Talk with your doctor about your specific health and medical needs.
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