Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Mar 03, 2026 2 hours, 23 minutes ago
Can Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD cause heart issues? Yes
Medical News: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, better known as COPD, has long been seen as a lung problem. But new research suggests that for many patients, the real danger may also be silently building in their hearts.
A new study by researchers from the Heart Institute, Medical School, University of Pécs; the Hospital of Mohács, Medical School, University of Pécs; the Pécs Diagnostic Center; and the Faculty of Medicine, Medical School, University of Pécs in Hungary has revealed that a surprisingly high number of people with COPD have undiagnosed coronary artery disease, even when they do not have classic heart symptoms.
Study finds most COPD patients unknowingly carry dangerous heart artery blockages
A Silent and Overlooked Threat
The research team studied 76 patients with moderate to severe COPD who had no previously known heart disease. Using advanced imaging tests such as coronary angiography, coronary CT scans, and calcium scoring from chest CT scans, they carefully examined the arteries that supply blood to the heart.
What they found was alarming. A total of 78 percent of these patients had evidence of coronary artery disease. In simple terms, nearly four out of five people with COPD in this study had hidden blockages or plaque buildup in their heart arteries.
Most cases were classified as non-obstructive disease, meaning the arteries were narrowed but not severely blocked. However, about one-third of patients had severe narrowing of 70 percent or more. Even more concerning, many had disease affecting multiple heart vessels, increasing the risk of serious heart events.
Symptoms That Mislead Doctors and Patients
One of the most striking findings was that very few patients had typical chest pain. Only about 12 percent experienced classic angina. Instead, half of the patients reported shortness of breath during physical activity. Others had vague chest discomfort, and some had no symptoms at all.
Because shortness of breath is already a hallmark symptom of COPD, both patients and doctors may wrongly assume that worsening breathing is purely a lung issue. This overlap can delay the diagnosis of heart disease.
This
Medical News report highlights how traditional symptom-based approaches may not be enough when treating COPD patients, as heart disease can remain hidden behind respiratory complaints.
Where the Blockages Were Found
The study showed that the most commonly affected artery was the left anterior descending artery, often referred to as the “widow-maker” because of its critical role in supplying blood to the heart. The right coronary artery and circumflex artery were also frequently involved. Most blockages were located in the proximal segments of these arteries, areas known to carry higher risk.
Interestingly,
the severity of blockages did not significantly differ between moderate and severe COPD patients. However, those with moderate COPD surprisingly showed more widespread multi-vessel disease.
A Possible Protective Effect from Inhaled Therapy
Another important observation involved inhaled corticosteroid therapy, a common treatment for severe COPD. Patients receiving triple therapy that included inhaled corticosteroids appeared to have less extensive coronary artery involvement compared to those not on such treatment.
While this finding does not prove cause and effect, it raises the possibility that reducing lung inflammation may also reduce harmful inflammation affecting the heart. However, the researchers caution that this link requires further investigation in larger clinical trials.
What This Means for Patients
The findings suggest that heart screening should be seriously considered for people living with COPD, even if they do not have typical heart symptoms. The strong connection between lung disease and heart disease underscores the need for doctors to look beyond the lungs.
In conclusion, this study reveals that coronary artery disease is extremely common and often undiagnosed in people with COPD. Because symptoms overlap and traditional risk scoring tools may underestimate danger, many patients may be walking around with significant heart disease without knowing it. Early heart screening, closer cooperation between lung and heart specialists, and integrated treatment strategies could potentially save lives and improve long-term outcomes for this vulnerable group.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed Journal of Clinical Medicine.
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/5/1896
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Medical News.
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https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/cardiology
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