Antibiotics linked to higher heart disease risk in individuals with type 1 diabetes

Results from a study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine suggest that bacterial infections may elevate the risk of coronary heart disease in individuals with type 1 diabetes.

Among 3,781 individuals with type 1 diabetes, 370 developed coronary heart disease over an average follow-up of 13.7 years. Antibiotic purchases, reflecting bacterial infections in outpatient care, were significant risk factors for coronary heart disease, with a 21% increased risk for each annual antibiotic purchase.

A high blood level of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (large molecules derived from the outer layer of gram-negative bacteria) was also a risk factor for coronary heart disease.

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