Heart Condition Got Worse After an Injury? Read This

A new study from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) may have just opened the door to one of the most important breakthroughs in cardiovascular medicine in years. The discovery focuses on how inflammation worsens heart disease, and how a single enzyme, if blocked, could improve how the body clears cholesterol and reduces arterial plaque buildup.

The study’s implications reach far beyond basic science. For patients with pre-existing heart conditions who have experienced physical trauma, a car accident, fall, or even surgery, this research could help explain why their heart health declined so sharply after an injury. And in some cases, it could point to a path for both treatment and compensation.

The Science: IDO1, Cholesterol, and Inflammation

Researchers identified an enzyme called IDO1 as a major culprit in disrupting how immune cells handle cholesterol during times of inflammation. Here’s what they found:

• When the body experiences sustained inflammation, whether due to infection, injury, or chronic disease, IDO1 becomes highly active.

• IDO1 leads to the production of kynurenine, a chemical that stops immune cells (macrophages) from doing their job: clearing excess cholesterol from arteries.

• This causes cholesterol to pile up and form dangerous foam cells, which harden into plaque, block arteries, and lead to heart attacks, strokes, or worsening heart failure.

By blocking IDO1, the researchers were able to restore the normal cholesterol-clearing function of these immune cells. They also found that when another enzyme, nitric oxide synthase (NOS), was blocked at the same time, the effect was even greater. The combination could open up new therapeutic strategies for managing or even reversing heart disease caused by inflammation.

What This Means for People with Pre-Existing Heart Conditions

If you already have high blood pressure, a prior heart attack, arrhythmia, or a stent in place, and you were later involved in a traumatic event, it’s possible that injury-related inflammation pushed your cardiovascular system over the edge.

Most people think of trauma as something that affects the bones or muscles. But trauma, especially blunt force injuries or whiplash, can trigger full-body inflammation that silently damages the heart.

You may have experienced:

• Shortness of breath worsening after the injury

• Chest pain or fatigue that didn’t exist before

• Sudden changes in heart rhythm

• New diagnoses like congestive heart failure within months of your trauma

These may not be coincidence. They may be signs of inflammation-induced cardiovascular decline, a process that new science is just beginning to explain.

Can Physical Trauma Cause Heart Disease to Worsen?

Yes. Medical literature increasingly shows that trauma, even when not directly affecting the heart, can accelerate atherosclerosis or trigger arrhythmias. This is especially true in older patients, those with pre-existing conditions, or individuals under chronic stress.

What’s often missing is a proper evaluation of causation. Did the trauma simply aggravate an existing issue? Or did it introduce an entirely new burden on the heart?

That’s where both cardiologists and legal professionals must work together. A causal link between injury and disease progression doesn’t just help guide treatment, it may also justify compensation for related medical costs, disability, or even loss of income.

What to Do If Your Heart Health Has Declined After an Injury

1. Seek medical evaluation.
   Speak to a cardiologist who understands trauma-related inflammation. Ask if your deterioration could be connected to a prior accident or physical injury.

2. Review your medical timeline.
   Was your condition stable before the injury? When did symptoms change? What diagnostic findings support the shift?

3. Get a legal consultation.
   At KAASS LAW, we help patients connect the dots between injury and heart disease progression. If we find a link, we may be able to pursue compensation through insurance, a third-party claim, or other remedies.

Why Clients Trust KAASS LAW

• We understand the complexity of post-trauma deterioration cases

• We handle legal coordination to support your claim

• We advocate for clients who’ve been told “it’s just aging” or “just bad timing”

You shouldn’t have to bear the cost of worsening heart health if it was triggered by someone else’s negligence, or even a work-related injury.

Call Today to Protect Your Health and Your Rights

The UTA study is just the beginning. It validates something many patients have long suspected: inflammation is dangerous, and trauma can make it worse. If your heart condition has taken a turn for the worse since a traumatic event, it’s time to ask why, and to take action.

📞 Contact KAASS LAW at (844) 522-7752 or email info@kaass.com for a confidential consultation.

Let’s assess the timeline. Let’s ask the hard questions. And if there’s a case to be made, we’ll help you build it, step by step.