By William Boggs, MD
NEW YORK, Jan 24 (Reuters Health) -- Men with male pattern baldness --
hair loss mainly affecting the vertex or crown of the head -- face higher risks
of heart attack, chest pain, and coronary artery problems that require surgical
intervention. This risk is especially high in men who also have high blood
pressure or high cholesterol levels, according to a report in the January 24th
issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
"Male pattern baldness is a readily visible risk indicator for coronary
disease," said Dr. JoAnn Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and
Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, in an interview with Reuters Health.
The researchers used data from the Physicians' Health Study of 22,071
apparently healthy male doctors, aged 40 and older, to evaluate the association
of baldness with the risk of heart disease over an 11-year period.
Increased hair loss was associated with an increasing risk of coronary
heart disease (CHD) events, the authors report. Eleven years after joining the
study, men with male pattern baldness faced the following increases in CHD risk,
compared to men with no hair loss:
-- 9% with frontal baldness only.
-- 23% with mild vertex baldness.
-- 32% with moderate vertex baldness.
-- 36% with severe vertex baldness.
The chance of developing heart disease was even higher when the
researchers combined baldness with other risk factors, the investigators note.
The risk of a coronary event increased by 79% when vertex baldness was
accompanied by high blood pressure and nearly tripled when joined by high
cholesterol levels.
"A plausible explanation for an association between baldness and CHD may
be elevated androgen (male hormone) levels," the authors suggest, noting that
men with severe baldness appear to have more androgen levels in the scalp, and
higher blood levels of testosterone.
"High levels of androgens may directly contribute to both atherosclerosis
and thrombosis (arterial blockage due to a clot), and may adversely influence
risk factors such as hypertension and high cholesterol," the researchers
explain.
"Men with hair loss should see their doctors to identify and address
whatever modifiable risk factors for heart disease they might have," Manson
advised. "While the baldness might not be treatable, men can certainly reduce
their heart attack risk by exercising, maintaining a healthy diet, making sure
their blood pressure is under control, keeping their cholesterol levels in
check, and not smoking."
