The most likely explanation is that short men’s coronary arteries are narrower than those of taller men, possibly leaving them more vulnerable to blockage from atherosclerosis (buildup of fatty deposits) or clots. The smaller lung capacity of short people might also play a role, by not supplying enough oxygenated blood to the heart.
Short stature has in the past been tentatively linked with increased risk of heart attack, and a 1990 study at Boston University convincingly demonstrated the correlation in women. But the new report–part of a five-year study of more than 22,000 U.S. physicians–is the largest and most rigorous examination of the height connection in men. Risk of a heart attack, however, isn’t determined by any single factor. “Height is just one small piece of the puzzle,” says Patricia Hebert, an instructor in medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School and chief author of the new study. Unlike height, many risk factors for heart attacks can be modified. If short men watch their weight, exercise, don’t smoke and keep their blood pressure and cholesterol levels down, says Hebert, they may well be at less risk than guys who tower over them but have a less than hearty interest in their health.
