"Bad head, bad heart'. As with cholesterol, there is a link between androgenetic alopecia and arterial hypertension. Apart from clinical observation, researchers have not yet been able to explain the correlation between the two. In addition, certain anti-hypertensive drugs can cause hair loss.
CLINICAL OBSERVATION
"Bad head, bad heart" is not a new American saying. Dermatologists and cardiologists have long recognised that men and women with a tendency to lose their hair are more prone than others to cardiovascular problems. Conversely, those who suffer from high blood pressure often present the clinical symptoms of androgenetic alopecia.
FRENCH STUDY (2007)
BACKGROUND
Essential hypertension (with no specific medical cause) accounts for more than 90% of cases of the disease. It is most often linked to an excess of aldosterone, a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. In the United States, spironolactone, an anti-hypertensive diuretic used to treat hyperaldosteronism, has long been used as an anti-androgen in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. To date, however, there are no satisfactory studies on this subject. In 2007, a team of French researchers* decided to investigate the association between androgenetic alopecia and excess aldosterone in essential hypertension.
STUDY OF 250 PATIENTS
Researchers first subject transgenic mice to an overdose of aldosterone. The mice develop alopecia and lose some of their hair. The research then focused on a sample of 250 men, recruited by 5 different GPs. The selection criteria were as follows: age between 35 and 65, western type, alopecia stage between 0 and 4 on the Hamilton scale (see opposite). The study involved cross-referencing numerous criteria relating to the family and medical histories of the 250 patients. It will lead to a number of conclusions.
CONCLUSIONS
1° Androgenetic hair loss is strongly associated with linked to heredity which has long been known. These falls (regardless of age) are also largely associated with high blood pressure, something that had never before been so clearly highlighted.
2° The ratio between androgenetic hair loss and excess aldosterone requires further research. If this association were to be scientifically verified, the use of aldosterone antagonist molecules could be of interest in treating hereditary hair loss.
*S. Ahouansou, P. Le Toumelin, B. Crickx, V. Descamps - AP HP - Hôpital de Bobigny
See also a study published in 2013
Baldness and coronary heart disease
AND WOMEN?
BACKGROUND
In 2005, research conducted by a team of four Iranian doctors* had already sought to establish a link between androgenetic alopecia and heart problems. This time on women.
The research involved 106 patients under the age of 55. All these patients had undergone angiography (X-ray of the blood vessels) to complete the diagnosis of a coronary problem. In addition to the angiography, the study included a consultation with a dermatologist, an individual interview and a detailed analysis of the patient's medical history and background.
RESULTS
Angiography showed that 51 of these women had established coronary insufficiency. Of these, no fewer than 29 % were also developing androgenetic alopecia, formally diagnosed by the dermatologists who had examined them (between stage 1 and stage 3, depending on the patient).
CONCLUSION
This study highlighted the existence of a significant correlation between cardiovascular problems and androgenetic hair loss in women.
* Parvin Mansouri, Mohammadreza Mortazavi, Masood Eslami, Mona Mazinani - Khomeini Hospital, Teheran.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
According to these studies, men and women suffering from androgenetic alopecia could be part of a population at risk of cardiovascular disease. They should periodically check their blood pressure in order to detect a possible disorder as early as possible. Conversely, those with a cardiovascular problem would do well to ensure that the vital functions of their hair remain balanced, simply by doing the following an in-depth hair diagnosis. This is all the more true as some antihypertensive treatments can themselves cause hair loss. This hair loss, known as "telogen effluvium", is reversible when the treatment is stopped or changed to a similar treatment that does not have this side effect.
ANTIHYPERTENSIVES AND HAIR LOSS
List of the main treatments for hypertension likely to cause diffuse hair loss. To be avoided, if possible, strictly from the point of view of hair.
CONVERSION ENZYME (CEI) INHIBITORS
CAPTEA®, captoril - CAPTORIL Gé - ECAZIDE®, captoril - ENALAPRIL Gé - LISINOPRIL Gé - LOPRIL®, captoril - PRINIVIL®, lisinopril - PRINZIDE®, lisinopril - RAMIPRIL Gé - RENITEC®, enalapril - TRIATEC®, ramipril - ZESTRIL®, lisinopril - ZOFENOPRIL®, zofenil.
BETA-BLOCKERS
ATENOLOL Gé AVLOCARDYL® propranolol BETATOP®, atenolol BISOPROLOL Gé BLOCADREN®, timolol CORGARD®, nadolol DETENTIEL®, bisoprolol KERLONE ®, Betaxocol LODOZ®, bisoprolol LOGROTON ®, metroprolol LOPRESSOR ®, metroprolol METROPROLOL Gé PROPRANOLOL Gé SELOKEN ®, metroprolol TENORMINE®, atenolol TENORETIC®, atenolol
CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS
AMLOR®, Amlodipine - AMLODIPINE Gé
Source: Vidal Expert 2015
Jean-François Cabos is the creator of a unique hair care method based on the research he coordinated, which led to the publication of the book Hair, Roots of Life with Hélène Clauderer published by Robert Laffont (Collection "Réponses/ Santé").
