According to a recent study presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Vancouver Canada, it is found that people having mental disorders like bipolar disorder are at higher risk of having heart disease. A number of other studies have also shown the same thing. It has been found that about 1 in 17 adults in the US suffers from severe mental illnesses like bipolar disorder. So they are all at risk of having heart diseases. This is a very alarming situation and we all must be aware of it. (Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/284461.php )
What is a Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition in which extreme mood swings occur. There will be emotional highs and lows. When these people are depressed, they feel lonely and hopeless. They lose all the pleasure and hopes in life. When their mood switches to hypomania or feelings of high they feel full of energy and get a euphoric feeling. These sudden mood swings can disrupt the person’s sleep, activities, behavior, and judgment. The episodes of these mood swings can occur a few time or multiple times a year. It is a lifelong condition and can be managed with psychological counseling and medications.
Factors Contributing to the Increased Risk of Heart Disease
People who suffer from bipolar disorder cannot lead a normal life. Their mood swings affect their family life and work. It has been proved that people who suffer from bipolar disorders are more likely to have heart diseases. Here are the factors that can contribute to developing heart disease.
Unhealthy Lifestyle
As people with bipolar disorder suffer from depression, they may not follow a healthy lifestyle. They often don’t take proper meals or go for exercise as they lack interest in any kind of activities. When in depression, these people often don’t get enough sleep. As this cycle continues it can lead to heart disease.
Smoking or Alcohol Consumption
People who suffer from depression usually find shelter in alcohol or smoking. It is very harmful to health and is one of the major risk factors for heart disease.
Medications
People suffering from bipolar disorder have to take certain medication for a lifetime. These medications can promote weight gain and thus increase cholesterol levels. The side effects of these medicines can increase the risk of heart disease.
Physical Effects
People with bipolar disorder are always in stress and depression. This affects their physical health negatively which leads to increased inflammation. This can be linked to heart disease.
Genetics and Environment
Genetics and environment can also lead to heart disease of people suffering from bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is also linked to diabetes and hypertension. Environmental factors like seasonal changes, childhood trauma, sleep, etc also can cause heart disease.
It has been found that people with bipolar disorder have a higher chance of dying of heart disease. This is due to oxidative stress, inflammation, brain-derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF. When there are symptoms of bipolar disorder the interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, etc increases. Oxidative stress leads to dysfunction in the endothelium. The BDNF levels decrease and damage the endothelial cells. This increases the risk of heart diseases.
All of these factors work together to increase the risk of heart disease. So, early screening of the disease is necessary in order to prevent heart-related serious conditions.
How to Work on it?
With some precautions and steps, you can lower the risk of heart disease even if you have bipolar disorder. Here are some tips for you to improve your health condition.
Physical Exercise
Physical exercise can help to lower the symptoms of bipolar disorder. People who suffer from bipolar disorder find it difficult to maintain a good exercise routine. During the periods of depression, they don’t feel like exercising at all. So, a gap develops. You should try to get more exercise when you are in the mood.
A study has found out that if a person with bipolar disorder exercises for less than a week then they will feel more depressed over a longer period of time. But those who exercise more will experience a good mood for a long time.
Proper Food
You should choose a healthy diet and eat balanced meals. You must learn how to control cravings and make a habit to eat limiting portion sizes. This will result in reduced blood fat, less cholesterol, and sugar levels. It will also help you to lose weight. Research work has shown that a Mediterranean-style diet is good for the physical and mental health of people suffering from bipolar disorder.
Some people, especially young women, who suffer from bipolar disorder, may have eating disorders leading to overweight and obesity. These contribute to the development of heart disease. You should take therapy to resolve your eating disorder.
Those who have bipolar disorder tend to develop heart-related conditions earlier than those who don’t suffer from bipolar disorder. People with bipolar disorder show signs of cardiovascular diseases 17 years earlier than those who don’t have bipolar disorder. So, the doctors can take steps beforehand to prevent heart disease of bipolar disorder patients. People suffering from bipolar disorder are more likely to visit the hospital due to heart-related issues.
Proper monitoring should be done on these patients. The thresholds for intervening must be lowered. It is important to treat cardiovascular risk in bipolar disorder patients in young patients as well. Doctors and relatives should always keep a close eye on young people and adolescents suffering from bipolar disorder. They should monitor blood pressures, weight, and cholesterol on a regular basis. They should also perform cardiac telemetry monitoring and 24 hr ECG monitoring as well.
It is possible to reduce the risk of heart disease through early screening and proper communication. Patients with bipolar disorder should be under the consultation of a heart specialist always. If any signs of heart disease are evident then treatment must be done immediately.
Patients suffering from bipolar disorder have more functional impairment, unemployment, depressive periods and even suicide attempts. On top of all these, there is a risk of having heart diseases as well. Along with proper medication, it is vital to change the lifestyle in order to lower the risk of heart diseases of bipolar disorder patients. You can seek help from a heart specialist doctor.
