It's the heart attack from out of the blue, a coronary shocker that strikes those who would seem to have little to worry about.
Inflammation is the body's response to injury, and the immune system's response to infection.
It is believed that oxidized cholesterol and infectious microbes inside the lining of coronary arteries activate immune cells, resulting in the buildup of plaque, inflammation and, ultimately, a rupture in the plaque that causes a heart attack. Strong evidence now exists linking low-grade inflammation and coronary artery disease, researchers say. What's more, a number of preliminary studies suggest that a possible cause of that inflammation may be chronic infections by common bacteria and viruses. Studies have implicated everything from gum disease to microbes that cause the flu, respiratory infections, cold sores and stomach ulcers to heart disease. The caveat is a lot of these infections are fairly common.