Stressed? Maybe You Should Have Your
Heart Checked
Those who thought pressure was affecting their health twice
as likely to suffer heart attack, study says
People who think stress is affecting their health may be
setting themselves up for a heart attack, a new study contends.
The researchers found that these people had double the risk
of a heart attack compared with people who didn't think stress was harming
their health.
"People's perceptions about the impact of stress on
their health are likely to be correct,"
"They may need to take actions when they feel that it
is the case,"
These findings have both clinical and theoretical
implications,
"From a clinical perspective, they suggest that
complaints of adverse impact of stress on health should not be ignored in
clinical settings as they may indicate increased risk of developing coronary
heart disease,"
From a theoretical perspective, the findings imply that the
perceived impact of stress on health is a valid concept that should be
considered in future studies aimed at examining the association between stress
and health outcomes,
"stress and reactions to stressful situations have been
associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease in many studies."
However, few studies have looked at whether an individual's
perception of stress is associated with cardiovascular outcomes,
And it's not clear if reducing stress would affect the risk
for heart attack,
"Further studies are needed to determine whether stress
reduction or other risk reduction strategies can reduce cardiovascular events
in men and women who perceive they are under stress that is adversely impacting
their health,"
For the study, team collected data on more than 7,000 men
and women who took part in the Whitehall II study, which has followed
London-based civil servants since 1985.
Participants were asked how much they felt that stress or
pressure in their lives had affected their health. Based on their answers, they
were placed into one of three groups: "not at all," "slightly or
moderately," or "a lot or extremely."
Participants were also asked about their levels of stress
and other lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking, diet and physical
activity.
The researchers also collected medical information, such as
blood pressure, diabetes status and weight, and other data, including marital
status, age, sex, ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
Over 18 years of follow-up, there were 352 heart attacks or
deaths from heart attack.
After taking all of these factors into account, the
investigators found those who said their health was a "lot or
extremely" affected by stress had more than double the risk of a heart
attack compared with those who said stress had no effect on their health.
After further adjustments for biological, behavioral and
other psychological risk factors -- including stress levels and measures of
social support -- the risk wasn't as high. But it was still a lot higher (49
percent higher) than among those who said stress didn't affect their health,
the researchers noted.
While the study found an association between perceived
levels of stress and heart attack, it did not prove cause-and-effect.
The stress response is not only a mental reaction to a
situation, but a physiological reaction, she explained.
"Acute and chronic stress over time can make us sick.
Our perception of how that stress affects our health may be an additional
stressor biochemically, psychologically and physiologically, creating a
feedback loop that results in increased physical distress and disease,"
Heller said.
Managing stress does not mean ignoring it, she said.
"Working with a qualified mental health professional who specializes in
cognitive behavioral therapy can be very helpful. In lieu of that, there are
some things you can do on your own."
Take several slow deep breaths periodically throughout the
day. Deep breathing can shift the body out of the fight-or-flight response.
Exercise regularly. Cardiovascular exercise teaches the body
how to handle the physiological effects of stress. It also helps reduce anxiety
and depression.
Eat as healthfully as possible. Chronic or acute stress may
trigger the desire to dive into high-calorie comfort foods. However, after an
initial flash of relief, you will tend to feel lethargic, fatigued and possibly
worse than you did before.
Identify stressful triggers, and create a plan to help you
cope.
Instead of stressing about your health, be proactive and
find ways to improve it. If you have high blood pressure, learn how to lower
the sodium in your diet. Start walking a few days a week to strengthen your
heart and help manage weight.
