Urine for a rough ride with this infection.
High blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, cigarette use, diabetes, obesity and physical inactivity are among the risk factors for heart attack and stroke. A family history of these episodes, age and sex play a role, too.
A new study adds to growing evidence that urinary tract infections can also raise the odds of a heart attack or stroke, with the highest risk observed within the first week of the UTI.
UTIs are incredibly common in women. About 60% of women will experience at least one, while only 12% of men will have one.
A reason for this difference is that the female urethra is shorter and closer to the anus than the male urethra.
UTIs frequently occur when bacteria from the skin or rectum — particularly E. coli — enter the urinary tract through the urethra and travel to the bladder.
Common symptoms include a frequent and urgent need to pee, a burning sensation during urination, cloudy or strong-smelling urine and pain or pressure in the lower belly or back.
UTIs typically take three to seven days to clear with antibiotics, but severe infections that spread beyond the bladder can take longer to resolve.
One major problem with UTIs is that they tend to recur, especially in sexually active women and those who use a diaphragm for contraception.
These infections can pave the way for a heart attack or stroke because they can trigger or worsen inflammation, which is the body’s natural defense mechanism to combat infections and injuries.
Inflammation can destabilize plaques in arteries, increasing the chance they’ll rupture and dangerous blood clots will form.
For the new study, Cardiff University researchers tracked 2,300 Welsh residents 30 and older who experienced their first heart attack and 2,800 residents who suffered a stroke between 2010 and 2020.
Everyone had reported having a UTI before these incidents.
The researchers determined that UTIs raised the risk for heart attack and stroke in the first week, then again from 15 to 28 days and 29 to 90 days after the infection.
E. coli infections were linked to a lower risk of heart attack but a higher stroke risk compared to other bacteria.
The researchers acknowledged that a limitation of their study is that the risks were calculated from the date of UTI diagnosis and not the precise start of the infection.
The findings were published last month in BMJ Open.
How to prevent UTIs
- Stay hydrated to flush out bacteria from the urinary tract.
- Don’t hold in your pee since it can cause bacteria to multiply.
- Empty your bladder to discourage bacterial growth.
- Pee before and after sex.
- Practice good hygiene by wiping front to back.
- Avoid scented feminine hygiene products, douches, bubble baths and other products that can irritate the urethra.
- Change tampons and pads regularly.
- Choose cotton underwear instead of tight-fitting clothing to promote airflow and reduce moisture.
