This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Abou-Raya, S. Articles by El Beltagy, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Abou-Raya, S. Articles by El Beltagy, S. Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Medline Plus Health Information Coronary Artery Disease Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Coronary Artery Disease and Periodontal Disease: Is There a Link?

Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt.

Amr Naeem, MD

Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt.

Hassan Abou-El Kheir, DMD

Department of Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt.

Sheriff El Beltagy, MD

Department of Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer worldwide. The so-called classic risk factors of coronary heart disease do not account for all of its clinical and epidemiological features. Recent evidence suggests that certain infections, among them dental infections and in particular periodontal disease, are involved in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease. Aim: To evaluate the association between periodontal disease and coronary artery disease.

Patients and Methods: Fifty patients referred for diagnostic coronary angiography were assessed for periodontal disease. All patients underwent a thorough physical examination, routine laboratory testing, cardiac evaluation and dental examination which included panto mography x-ray evaluation.

Results: Pantomography x-rays and coronary angiograms of the participants were scored blindly by a dentist and cardiologists respectively. The association between periodontal disease and coronary atheromatosis remained significant after adjustment for age, smoking, blood lipids, body mass index, hypertension and the presence of diabetes.

Implications: Periodontal disease was still significantly associated after all the known risk factors were accounted for. The implication here is that periodontal disease could be a potential risk factor for heart disease by predisposing the individual to chronic low-grade infec tions. If so, then dental health becomes an important parameter for medical health.

Angiology, Vol. 53, No. 2, 141-148 (2002)
DOI: 10.1177/000331970205300203


CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?