Sore throat may put patients at greater risk of heart attack or stroke, study finds

New research shows that patients with a nasty sore throat are at greater risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Researchers from the University of Southampton found that patients with throat problems caused by a viral infection or acid reflux had reduced ability to regulate their blood pressure and heart rate.

They believe the link is due to nerve damage in the throat that affects the baroreflex – a crucial part of the nervous system responsible for detecting changes in blood pressure and adjusting the heart rate accordingly.

Patients with throat problems had difficulty regulating their blood pressure and heart rate

When the body is fighting a viral infection, the vagus nerve in the throat, which separates the airways from the food passages, can become overloaded.

This can feel like a lump in the throat and the need to clear the throat or cough. To compensate for the damage to this reflex, the body’s nervous system must expend large amounts of energy maintaining a safe airway.

As a result, less energy is spent on regulating the baroreflex, which means that the body’s blood pressure and heart rate are less well regulated.

In the UK, more than 100,000 people suffer a heart attack each year, and a similar number suffer a stroke.

That number has risen since the Covid-19 pandemic, with an average of 500 additional deaths per week due to cardiovascular disease.

While the Covid virus itself has been shown to damage the heart, scientists now think some of these deaths may be due to nerve damage in the throat caused by viral infections such as influenza.

“If there is a possibility that throat problems can affect functions such as the baroreflex… then more attention should be paid to this,” said Professor Reza Nouraei.