Scientists from Finland and the UK have uncovered groundbreaking evidence that heart attacks may be triggered by hidden bacteria within plaque, a sticky buildup of substances such as cholesterol and fat found in blood vessels that distribute oxygen-rich blood to the entire body.
They found that dormant layers of bacterial biofilm within plaques, when released due to a viral infection or another external stressor, can trigger heart attacks.
Once activated, the bacteria trigger inflammation and cause the plaques to rupture, leading to the formation of dangerous blood clots and, in severe cases, a heart attack.
A heart attack is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention.
Survival depends on the severity of the heart attack, the promptness of medical care, and other factors such as age. Many survivors go on to lead productive lives.
Using a range of advanced methodologies, the research found that the buildup of fats and cholesterol in the walls of blood vessels may harbour dormant bacteria for years or even decades, contributing to coronary heart disease—the leading cause of heart attacks.
For the study, the researchers obtained samples of arterial plaques—deposits of cholesterol and other debris that can accumulate along blood vessels—from individuals who had died from sudden cardiac death, as well as from patients who had their plaques surgically removed.
Using various methods, including genetic sequencing, they identified several groups of bacteria lodged within these plaques. This work is part of an extensive EU-funded cardiovascular research project involving 11 countries.
Published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the research findings challenge the conventional understanding of heart attacks and open new possibilities for treatment, diagnosis, and even vaccine development.
Professor Pekka Karhunen, who led the study, notes that until now, it was assumed that the events leading to coronary heart disease were initiated solely by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL), a type of cholesterol.
He said that bacterial involvement in coronary heart disease has long been suspected, but convincing evidence has been lacking.
According to him, “Our study demonstrated the presence of genetic material—DNA—from several oral bacteria inside atherosclerotic plaques.”
The researchers stated that the study may eventually lead to new methods for preventing or treating heart attacks.
While this discovery does not suggest that traditional heart attack risk factors should be overlooked, it may pave the way for the development of new diagnostic tools that detect biofilms.
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