5 Urology Conditions that Might Be Warning of Heart Disease
Almost every year for the past several years, close to 2,000 Detroiters have died from heart disease. That rate is higher than the national average, but the good news is that it has dropped dramatically since the 1990s, when it was above 3,000.
Urology medicine might have played a role in that.
Medical researchers continue to detect correlations between your urological and cardiovascular systems, and believe several causes of urinary conditions, from your kidneys to your urethra, could also be signs of heart disease.
Meet all of Michigan Institute of Urology’s physicians and clinicians here.
Your heart’s health might even interfere with your sexual health, making this an opportune time to learn how the two systems affect each other. Because, in addition to Valentine’s Day, February is American Heart Month, with plenty of healthy-heart resources available.
But to really know the heart, you also should know the urinary system.
At the Heart of the Matter: 5 Urological Warning Signs
Your urinary system includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Your cardiovascular system comprises the heart, blood vessels (veins, arteries, and capillaries), and blood. Both rely on healthy circulation.
The urinary system’s role in blood circulation begins at the kidneys, which filter waste products from the blood and excrete them in urine. The kidneys also produce hormones that help regulate blood pressure and produce red blood cells (oxygen carriers). The kidneys then return the filtered blood to your heart. And repeat.
If something alters this process, both systems could suffer. Along the urinary tract, these five conditions are considered warning signs of a potential cardiovascular problem – and vice versa.
Kidney disease – When your kidneys filter blood, they benefit as well as the heart because they extract needed oxygen and nourishment while they’re working. As a result, many heart disorders can directly affect kidney performance. If the heart strains to pump blood, the kidneys might not get enough oxygen, leading to weakness. In turn, when your kidneys can’t keep pace with filtering, the heart must work harder. The connection between heart and kidney disease is so common that the medical field has assigned a term for it: cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome, which also includes diabetes and obesity. Read our blog, “How to Boost Kidney Function.”
Kidney stones – Known for causing extreme pain, kidney stones are small crystals formed by minerals excreted by the kidneys, including calcium. Normally, the kidneys flush excess minerals out of the body in urine. But if the kidneys do not get enough water, these minerals can linger and bind together, forming stones. Here’s the heart link: some studies suggest that people with recurrent kidney stones may also have higher rates of calcium buildup in their arteries, a factor in heart disease and heart attacks. Dehydration, too, can damage the heart because when you do not get enough water, your blood tends to get thick and sticky, overburdening the heart. Our kidney stone website provides more information about symptoms.
Urinary tract infection (UTI) – The American Heart Foundation reports that acute and chronic infections can elevate cardiovascular risk. Emerging research suggests that bacterial infections such as UTIs may also temporarily increase this risk. A UTI occurs when bacteria enter the urethra and the bladder, triggering the body’s inflammatory response (and frequent, burning urination). Lasting inflammation from recurring UTIs, which affect one in four women, could weaken arterial plaque enough that it ruptures and forms a clot. In one study, the risk of stroke increased more than threefold in the 30 days following a UTI. A UTI can be critical if it spreads to the kidneys. Our urinary tract infection website has more details.
Overactive bladder (OAB) –OAB, when the bladder squeezes involuntarily and triggers a frequent and immediate need to urinate, is often related to abnormal bladder muscle contractions, nerve-bladder signaling issues, prostate enlargement, or pelvic floor dysfunction. But cardiovascular illness is also a risk factor, according to a report in Renal and Urology News. Up to 50% of heart failure patients also suffer from urinary incontinence and OAB. The correlation exists in conditions that people with heart disease and OAB share, including obesity and smoking. Additionally, some heart medications can alter bladder function. Our overactive bladder website shares causes and treatments.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) – ED, or difficulty getting and keeping an erection, grows more common as you age, but heart issues can cause it even in young men. (More than half of men with ED have a history of cardiovascular disease.) Again, this is due to weak circulation. Blood must surge to the penis for it to become erect, but if plaque prevents the arteries from opening (endothelial dysfunction), blood flow slows. Endothelial dysfunction presents in the penis first, so ED is an early predictor of heart disease. ED is also a symptom of Type 2 diabetes, as high blood sugar can impair the blood vessels and nerves. Take the ED symptom quiz on our erectile dysfunction web page.
How to Protect Your Heart and Urinary Systems at Home
You should consult a urology specialist if you experience signs of the above conditions. But even if not, the following routines can promote good heart and urological health.
- Step away from the salt. A little sodium won’t hurt you, but an excess of it will build up in your blood and make your heart work harder. Your kidneys also have to work harder, filtering all that salt. Lastly, salt raises calcium levels, increasing the risk of stones.
- Pump more water. Your blood is mostly water, which assures low-stress circulation from the heart. Well-hydrated blood also better supports muscle function in your urinary system (and elsewhere).
- Stay active. A little daily exercise, even walking, helps your blood flow through the heart and kidneys, keeping them healthy. And because blood flows to your penis, exercise might improve your erection.
- Add Kegels.This exercise, which involves squeezing your pelvic muscles, is recommended to reduce symptoms of OAB, a weak pelvic floor, and ED. Read our blog to learn more about performing Kegels correctly.
- Consider your weight. Being overweight or underweight might put you at a higher risk of heart and/or kidney ailments. Ask your doctor about a healthy diet for your body type.
The team at Michigan Institute of Urology continues to follow the links between heart and urology health, so ask us about it during your next visit. It might help further reduce your risk of heart disease in the coming years.
Have questions? Click here to request an appointment with one of our specialists. Or read up on all the conditions we can diagnose and treat here.
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