Study Links Loss of Smell to Higher Risk of Heart Disease

Study Links Loss of Smell to Higher Risk of Heart Disease
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A declining sense of smell may signal a greater risk of heart disease within a few years, the New York Post reported. A recent study of more than 5,000 older adults found that those with a poor sense of smell were more likely to develop heart conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, or heart failure within four years.

Dr. Neil Shah, a cardiologist at Northwell Health who was not involved in the research, explained that smell depends on healthy blood flow to nasal tissues — similar to the blood flow needed by the heart. He cautioned, however, that the study focused on older adults and that loss of smell could also be linked to aging or neurological decline.

Published in JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, the study suggests smell tests could serve as early warning tools, though researchers emphasize the findings are not definitive.