Can Poor Stress Management Cause a Heart Attack?

You’ve heard it before. Too much stress can cause a heart attack, and, according to a new study, these words of wisdom are right on target. In a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers looked at the merits of stress management therapy for people who already have heart disease or who have had a heart attack. Does managing stress make a difference?

Stress and Heart Attack: Is Stress Management Therapy Effective?

In a randomized-controlled study, researchers from Sweden looked at the rate of heart attacks and death among 362 prior heart attack sufferers. One group underwent cognitive behavior therapy to help them learn to manage stress. The other group received routine medical care without stress management therapy. The cognitive behavior sessions lasted for one year and taught the participants how to change their thought patterns to better manage stress. They also emphasized spiritual development.

The results were gratifying. The group who had stress management therapy had 45 percent fewer heart attack recurrences and a lower rate of overall mortality compared to the group who got traditional medical management without an emphasis on managing stress.

How Are Stress and Heart Attack Related?

Chronic stress causes changes in hormone levels such as epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol that place stress on the heart by increasing blood pressure and heart rate. It also contributes to other cardiac risk factors such as smoking, a known risk factor for heart disease, and overeating, which leads to obesity.

There are really two types of stress – physical and emotional. Physical stress such as exercising intensely has positive health benefits while emotional stress causes hormonal changes and contributes to chronic inflammation, which harms the heart and blood vessels.

Stress and Heart Attacks: Stress Management Therapy May Help

Most doctors send patients home after a heart attack with medications but surprisingly little advice on how to manage stress. Stress management therapy is a good treatment for anyone who has heart disease or has experienced a heart attack. As this study shows, learning how to management emotional stress can be lifesaving. Don’t neglect this important aspect of heart health if you have heart disease.

References:

Eurekalert.org. “Stress Management Program Helps Prevent Heart Events in Patients with Heart Disease”