What Does Your Blood Type Say about Your Heart Health?

Do you know your blood type? Many Americans don’t, but it turns out that your blood type could play a major role in your overall heart health. In fact, recent research suggests that people with A, B, and AB blood types might actually be at greater risk of cardiovascular events than people with O blood types.

An Introduction to Blood Types

Though all blood consists of the same basic components like plasma, platelets, white cells, and red cells, there are different types of markers, called antigens, that exist on the surface of red blood cells. These antigens are responsible for identifying the blood and belonging to the same body system, and ultimately determine whether another person’s blood can be accepted by the body during a transfusion.

There are four main blood groups known as Type A, B, AB, and O. Within those groups, a person can have a “negative” or “positive” blood type depending on whether an additional blood marker called an Rh factor is present. The blood type is considered “positive” if it contains the Rh factor and “negative” if it does not.

Does Your Blood Type Influence Your Heart Health?

It has always been said that the eight blood types are not stronger or weaker than each other, but simply genetic differences like hair and eye color. However, researchers from the University Medical Centre Groningen in the Netherlands recently completed a study that suggests non-O blood groups have a nine percent greater risk of heart attack, heart disease, heart failure, and cardiovascular disease.  

The researchers evaluated data from 1.3 million adults across nine studies to reach their conclusion. They suggest that non-O blood groups might face increased risk of cardiovascular events because they have higher concentrations of blood-clotting proteins and tend to have higher cholesterol levels. According to lead author Tessa Kole, “In future, blood group should be considered in risk assessment of cardiovascular prevention, together with cholesterol, age, sex, and systolic blood pressure.”

To find out your blood type and evaluate your own risk of cardiovascular problems, contact Cardiovascular Solutions Institute in Bradenton, Florida. Dr. Gino Sedillo and his team provide high quality, state of the art, comprehensive cardiovascular care to all patients, so call (941) 747-8789 to schedule your appointment now.