The COVID-19 pandemic temporarily robbed many of us of our olfactory senses. We scarfed down tasteless food, hoping that spices and herbs would someday come alive on our tongues again. While some recovered, many continue to live with weakened smell and taste.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association observed that “olfactory impairment, a common sensory deficit in older adults, may be a novel marker or potential contributor to congestive heart failure.”
Indianexpress.com spoke to clinical experts to understand if a weakened sense of smell really indicates heart problems and what can be done to avoid such a fate.
“Indeed, a diminished sense of smell may be an early sign of heart failure. It was observed that the loss of the sense of smell might be connected to the initial process of neurodegenerative disorders and common diseases such as cardiovascular pathologies,” said Dr Chirag D, consultant – interventional cardiology, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bengaluru.
Why does this happen?
“The link between weak smelling abilities and heart failure is related to the health of blood vessels. The ability to detect odours mostly depends on the normal flow of blood through the olfactory bulb and other areas responsible for perception. Prolonged inflammation and neurodegenerative processes affect both cardiac systems and olfactory pathways simultaneously,” said Chirag.
Dr Divakar Bhat, consultant – CTVS surgery at Aster RV Hospital, concurred. According to him, in individuals with extremely weak hearts, blood supply is reduced to all body parts, including the olfactory nerve region, which is the only sensory nerve conveying the sense of smell. This may lead to a diminished sense of smell.
“Other causes of a weakened sense of smell include nasal issues, brain conditions affecting the olfactory nerve, or COVID-19. It is not related to heart function,” he said.
What constitutes a weak sense of smell?
“Standardised tests such as UPSIT (University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test) or Sniffin’ Sticks test can measure hyposmia or reduced sense of smell. These assessments evaluate one’s capability to recognise, pick out, or differentiate various smells. If a person scores below average on these tests, it means that he/she has a smell disorder,” said Chirag.
According to him, individuals more prone to having a weak sense of smell include the elderly, those with neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s), people with chronic sinus issues or nasal blockages, and those with certain genetic conditions.
Lifestyle factors such as smoking, exposure to environmental toxins, and poor cardiovascular health can also contribute to olfactory dysfunction.
Source: The Indian Express