As we know, living with a pet brings us great benefits. Not only do they give us great company, but they also improve our mood, our relationships with others and reinforce our sense of responsibility. Some studies also show that welcoming a dog at home helps us to reduce the risk of heart disease.
One of the most notable investigations is that carried out by Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Administration Medical Center of Houston (USA), published by the magazine of the American Heart Association in March 2015. To carry it out, the physical state of 5.200 owners of adult dogs was analyzed, which turned out to be 54% more favorable in those who walked their pets compared to those who did not.
Similar conclusions were obtained by the journal The American Journal of Cardiology conducting his own study. According to it, the mortality rate in those who have suffered a cardiovascular problem at some point in their life is multiplied by four compared to those who do not walk their dogs. To obtain these data, 424 people were analyzed.
On the other hand, this month the Spanish Heart Foundation (FEC) has publicly joined this theory after reviewing some studies that focus on this issue. One of them is the one published by the magazine Circulation, who linked having a dog as a pet with maintaining adequate blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
However, all these data do not show that there is a direct cause-effect relationship. In the words of Vicente Arrarte, member of the SEC's Section for Vascular Risk and Cardiac Rehabilitation, “Although studies show a relationship between having a dog and a better state of these cardiovascular risk factors, the cause-effect relationship cannot be affirmed although it does improve the exercise habits of those who have a pet ».