A new study has revealed that even a very mild and slight case of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD, could end up having a substantial impact of a person's heart.

Researchers have stressed that heart failure, which is caused by a lung disease, is "well documented" in sufferers of severe COPD, but this is the first ever study which has revealed a link between the milder forms of the disease and impairment in heart function.

"This study shows that COPD, even in its mildest form, is associated with diminished heart function. We now have evidence that the presence of even mild COPD may have important health implications beyond the lungs”, said lead Graham Barr.

For the sake of study, MRI was used to measure functioning of the heart in as many as 2,816 adults, all between the age groups of 45 to 84. Out of all the subjects, 13% were regular smokers,
38% had quit and 49% never smoked. After extensive analysis of the data collected, it was discovered that the link between COPD and impaired functioning of the heart was the strongest in current smokers

"These results raise the intriguing possibility that treating lung disease may, in the future, improve heart function", said Dr. Barr.

Details of the study have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine.