Milan Kuchta, Zlatica Ďurošková, Marta Herichová
Introduction: In the review article, the authors discuss the less well-known and less pertracted theme of cardiovascular involvement in celiac disease and the possible effects of a gluten-free diet on these disorder.
After year 2000, an increasing number of cohort epidemiological studies, documenting an increased risk for celiac disease of various cardiovascular pathologies, in particular cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, but also micro- and macroangiopathy, ischemic heart disease, stroke, or thrombosis. Authors briefly describe the possible pathophysiological mechanisms of this relationship, they also address the effects of a gluten-free diet that may have ambivalent effects on cardiovascular co-morbidities and, based on several studies, draw attention to the unsuitability of a gluten-free diet in persons without celiac disease.
Finally, they recommend screening for celiac disease in cardiomyopathies and other reported pathological conditions of the cardiovascular system, as well as early and repeated cardiological examinations in celiac patients to detect early development of cardiovascular pathology in these patients.