Height Is Directly Related to Higher Risks of Heart Disease

          Recently at the University of Leichester,  Professor Sir Nilesh Samani led a study to determine whether shorter height can be directly associated with higher risks of coronary heart disease.  Even though there are other factors that may impact coronary heart disease such as smoking and nutrition, information about other factors wanted to be looked into.  In order to research this, tests observed around 200,000 people to examine whether the 180 genes that are related to height were directly related to coronary heart disease.  The understanding of this test was that if DNA controls height, then it can be directly related to coronary heart disease.  The final results from the testing revealed that the more height increasing variants a person has the lower the chances of disease.  It was found that for every 2.5 inch increase in a person's height, their chances of developing a coronary heart diseased by 13.5%.

          After observing how the difference in a person's height can determine the chances of developing coronary heart disease, other testing started to occur.  Researchers started to look into other factors of coronary heart disease and which could be associated with shorter heights.  They discovered that the only factors effect by short heights were fat levels and cholesterol.  This was the first study to show association between short heights and heart disease.  With further exploration, it can allow for new ways to reduce risks, new ways for prevention, and new treatments.

          This seems to be a great place for more research and exploration because with new knowledge of a shorter height being related to heart disease it may be possible to look into prevention and start treatments earlier.  Testing early may be able to become more common in patients of shorter heights, especially if other family members have experienced heart disorders in the past.  

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