/assets/images/provider/photos/2817138.jpeg)
In a healthy body, all the systems work together, but a problem in one can affect others. For example, trouble with your endocrine system can affect your cardiovascular system.
Your body comprises 11 systems that work together. For example, your lymphatic system plays a role in digestion, and your integumentary system — your skin — supports your immune system by keeping out bacteria.
The providers at Heart & Vascular Institute have different specialities, including cardiology and endocrinology. These two systems work together more closely than you may imagine.
Before we get into how the two systems work together, let’s look at how they function independently.
Your endocrine system
Your endocrine system is made up of glands that produce hormones, which act as messengers throughout your body. For example, your pancreas is a gland that produces insulin. When you eat, insulin tells your cells to absorb glucose from your blood.
The endocrine and digestive systems are distinct, but you can see how they’re interdependent. Similarly, your thyroid gland and the hormone it produces help your body regulate temperature, promote sleep, and use energy.
A problem with one of your glands can result in too little or too much of the hormone it produces, leading to issues affecting everything from sleep to reproductive health.
Almost every other bodily system depends on your endocrine system to function, including your cardiovascular system.
Your cardiovascular system
Your heart, blood vessels, and blood are components of your cardiovascular system. Problems with any of those components can lead to cardiovascular issues, including:
- Coronary artery disease
- Atherosclerosis
- Heart attack
- Hypertension
- Stroke
Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death for men and women in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one person dies from heart disease every 34 seconds. The importance of your cardiovascular system can’t be overstated.
The connection
Your cardiovascular and endocrine systems intersect in several ways. For example, your thyroid hormones control your heart rate, and a steady, predictable heart rate is a crucial element of cardiovascular health.
Similarly, having diabetes, which is an endocrine problem, negatively affects cardiovascular health because it increases the likelihood of developing a condition such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
Other endocrine issues that affect cardiovascular health include:
- Insulin resistance
- Hypo- or hyperthyroidism
- Cushing syndrome
- Hypopituitarism
Your heart even communicates with the rest of your body through an endocrine function, producing hormones that communicate with other organs.
Although this is a relatively new area of research, scientists have known about two hormones produced in the heart, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), for about 40 years.
These two are crucial for the processes of vasodilation and natriuresis, which play a role in your blood vessels relaxing and contracting correctly and directly relate to your blood pressure.
At Heart & Vascular Institute, our expert providers are here to ensure your systems work together as they should. If you need an endocrinology consultation, contact us. Schedule your appointment by phone or online today at any of our six convenient Michigan locations.