|
Is
pattern baldness associated with heart disease ?
A few medical journal reports have been published that suggest
androgenetic alopecia in men may be related to an slightly increased
risk of ischemic heart disease. One of the largest studies based
in the USA asked 19,112 male physicians to report coronary heart
disease events over an eleven year period. 1446 reported positive
events and this was statistically correlated with vertex pattern
baldness by the reseachers.
Another study involved review of 2019 men younger than 55 years
of age. Of these 300 developed heart disease complications with
61 heart disease related deaths. It was found that severe baldness
was associated with an increased risk of death from ischemic heart
disease and possibly an increased risk of developing an ischemic
heart disease complication.
In a separate study, 2017 men were monitored over thirty years.
In this study baldness was not associated with any increased risk
of heart disease but it was observed that the rapidity of hair loss
from androgenetic alopecia was associated with an increased risk.
Men with very rapid onset and progression of androgenetic alopecia
were slightly more likely to develop heart disease (Herrera 1995).
Baldness has also been linked to heart disease in a Swedish study
(Persson 1984).
The reason for this increased risk may be due to elevated cholesterol
levels. One study showed that male pattern baldness (fronto-occipital)
in young men was associated with an increased serum cholesterol
level and higher blood pressure compared to men of similar age with
no hair loss. The association gradually broke down as older men
with androgenetic alopecia were tested.
It is difficult to draw conclusions from so few studies and apply
them to everyone. Two small studies examining baldness and heart
disease found no link between the two. However, the larger studies
indicate there might be a slightly increased risk of heart disease
in men who develop extensive hair loss, develop hair loss very rapidly,
or develop hair loss at a young age. Increased cholesterol and blood
pressure may be the contributing factors. The risk is considerably
less than for the well known factors associated with heart disease
such as smoking, obesity, and hypertension. Men who regard themselves
to be of increased risk from heart disease may consider suitable
diets to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure.
Is
pattern baldness associated with heart disease ?
- Lotufo
PA, Chae CU, Ajani UA, Hennekens CH, Manson JE. Male pattern
baldness and coronary heart disease: the Physicians' Health
Study. Arch Intern Med. 2000 Jan 24;160(2):165-71.
- Ford
ES, Freedman DS, Byers T. Baldness and ischemic heart disease
in a national sample of men. Am J Epidemiol. 1996 Apr 1;143(7):651-7.
- Herrera
CR, D'Agostino RB, Gerstman BB, Bosco LA, Belanger AJ. Baldness
and coronary heart disease rates in men from the Framingham
Study. Am J Epidemiol. 1995 Oct 15;142(8):828-33.
- Persson
B, Johansson BW. The Kockum study: twenty-two-year follow-up.
Coronary heart disease in a population in the south of Sweden.
Acta Med Scand. 1984;216(5):485-93.
- Trevisan
M, Farinaro E, Krogh V, Jossa F, Giumetti D, Fusco G, Panico S,
Mellone C, Frascatore S, Scottoni A, et al. Baldness and coronary
heart disease risk factors. J Clin Epidemiol. 1993 Oct;46(10):1213-8.
- Lesko
SM, Rosenberg L, Shapiro S. A case-control study of baldness in
relation to myocardial infarction in men. JAMA. 1993 Feb 24;269(8):998-1003.
- Halim
MM, Meyrick G, Jeans WD, Murphy D, Burton JL. Myocardial infarction,
androgen and the skin. Br J Dermatol. 1978 Jan;98(1):63-8.
- Cooke
NT. Male pattern alopecia and coronary artery disease in men.
Br J Dermatol. 1979 Oct;101(4):455-8.
|
