Dr. Hanna Geddie, a professor working in the Center of Cardio-Metabolic Research in Africa, made a groundbreaking discovery on August 10, 2020, revealing that gambling addiction can lead to a severe cardiovascular issue – endothelial dysfunction.

According to Stanford Healthcare, endothelial dysfunction is a non-obstructive coronary artery disease in which there are no heart artery blockages, but the large blood vessels on the heart’s surface narrow instead of opening.

This type of affliction may relate to serious symptoms such as chronic heart failure, obesity, and diabetes.

Drawing from information found on sciencedirect.com, a leading source for scientific and technical research, Dr. Geddie conducted an experiment involving 150 participants divided into two groups – the gambling simulation group and the control group.

The gambling simulation group engaged in a controlled gambling scenario using computer simulations, where participants took part in simulated gambling activities for a predetermined duration of 60 minutes.

After the time had passed, both groups underwent a “post-gambling assessment” that measured blood pressure, heart rate, and FMD – the measurement of transient changes in artery diameter in response to shear stress caused by gambling.

The results showed that the gambling simulation group demonstrated a significant decrease in endothelial function, resulting in high blood pressure of 140/90 with a substantial change in FMD measurement of nearly 55%.

Compared to the controlled group, the gambling simulation group showed a 10 mm Hg difference in blood pressure and a 20% variation in FMD measurement.

These findings collectively suggest that chronic stress and emotional turmoil stemming from gambling addiction have negative effects on cardiovascular health through endothelial dysfunction.

The underlying mechanicms were explained through biological reactions that happened in the blood vessels of the human body.

Dr. Geddie’s research discovered that gambling addiction causes psychological stress, prompting the body to produce reactive oxygen stress, which damages endothelial cells and impairs their ability to produce nitric oxide – a molecule essential for blood vessel dilation.

Reduced nitric oxide production increases vascular resistance, triggering an inflammatory immune response, including forming fatty plaques, and obstructing blood flow.

Dr. Geddie mentioned that this interruption removes the barrier between blood vessels and surrounding tissues, allowing small, toxic molecules such as cholesterol to easily enter the vessels, therefore fostering endothelial dysfunction.

Given the compelling data from the conducted experiment linking gambling to cardiovascular issues, Dr. Geddie and her colleagues were able to drive implications concerning compounded risk factors and treatment challenges.

Dr. Geddie recounted that, in a real-life context, individuals struggling with gambling addiction may engage in other unhealthy behaviors such as poor diet, smoking, and a sedentary lifestyle, which can further exacerbate endothelial dysfunction and lead to cardiovascular problems.

She emphasized that individuals grappling with gambling addiction often find themselves caught in a cycle of unhealthy behaviors that extend beyond gambling itself, compounding the detrimental effects on endothelial function.

Dr. Geddie and her colleagues additionally underscored the complexities of treatment.

Addressing endothelial dysfunction caused by gambling addiction requires not only targeting the addiction but also managing the resulting cardiovascular risks.

Treatment options might involve gradually refraining from certain gambling actions or behaviors and potentially using medication to treat the symptoms of endothelial dysfunction.

Considering the ramifications elucidated by the previous insights from Dr. Geddie, it is required to take proactive steps to abstain from gambling activities.

This urgency is substantiated by the intensive relationship between gambling and cardiovascular well-being, underscoring the necessity for prompt and deliberate action.

Suh Kyung (Chloe) Yu

Grade 11

Chadwick International School