![]() RELATED: If You Notice This While Resting Your Feet, Get Your Heart Checked.Total Force Fitness | Nutritional Fitness A small change to your daily drinking habits could make a big impact on your heart health. If you're concerned that you could be routinely dehydrated, talk to your doctor. And that could be a problem if they're on a medication that may cause fluid loss, such as a diuretic," Julian Seifter, MD, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School wrote for Harvard Health Publishing. ![]() "Older people don't sense thirst as much as they did when they were younger. ![]() That's because while in most healthy people, high serum sodium levels will trigger thirst, older individuals may not get the same signals. This can also measure your glucose, potassium, calcium levels, and more, and may become a more useful tool as you age. If you're not sure whether you're routinely dehydrated, your doctor can check your serum sodium levels by doing a simple blood test known as a basic metabolic panel. Having an even higher serum sodium level above 143 mmol/L was associated with a shocking 107 percent increased risk, the study said.Ī blood test can help determine whether your serum sodium levels are normal. The researchers found that in patients aged 70 to 90 years old, having a serum sodium level between 142.5–143 mmol/L was associated with a 62 percent increased risk of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Similarly, those with high serum sodium levels as seniors were also at notably heightened risk. ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcbĪccording to the NHLBI study, being dehydrated throughout middle age could have serious heart health implications later in life. " Left ventricular hypertrophy puts you at higher risk of congestive heart failure and irregular heart rhythms," the health organization warns. According to the Mayo Clinic, LVH occurs when the wall of the heart's main pumping chamber thickens, resulting in higher blood pressure and poor pumping in some patients. The team also observed a connection between dehydration as measured by serum sodium levels and a coronary condition known as left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Researchers saw a link between dehydration and another concerning cardiac condition. The study concluded that "Heart failure risk was increased by 39 percent if middle age serum sodium exceeded 143 mmol/L, corresponding to one percent body weight water deficit." According to the Mayo Clinic, a "normal" serum sodium level typically falls within the range of 135 and 145 mmol/L, meaning even levels that are technically within an upper-normal range can potentially cause a problem. They looked at the relationship between serum sodium levels-a metric often used to identify dehydration-and heart failure risk. ![]() The team analyzed data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study, which centered on a cohort of individuals between 45 and 66 years old. In March 2022, a team from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) published a study in the European Heart Journal which concluded that staying adequately hydrated could significantly reduce one's risk of heart failure. Shutterstock/PopTikaĮxperts are currently exploring the modifiable risk factors that influence our heart health. Drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated cuts your risk of heart failure.
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