Impact of Stress on the Heart

People respond to stress in many different ways. Some are able to stay calm and relaxed while others get tense, nervous and quite visibly “stressed out”. For years, researchers have been looking at how stress affects the heart, though it is difficult for them to come to any definitive conclusions because people deal with stress differently. However, more recent studies have found that people with troubled relationships or tense jobs that cause them constant stress have an increased chance of experiencing a heart attack or other heart related problems. One study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, a journal published by the American Medical Association, found that people with rocky love lives are about 35 percent more likely to develop heart disease. Another study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that people that experienced a heart attack for the first time were twice as likely to experience a second heart attack if they returned to a job that caused them stress on a regular basis when compared to those that had a more easy-going work environment.

People that are unable to cope with stress in a positive way are more likely to experience negative effects on their health, especially their hearts. Many researchers recommend that doctors should evaluate the stress levels of patients that have had or are at risk of having heart problems. However, it may be extremely difficult for physicians to do this since stress can have many sources and various effects. Still, doctors should mindful of patients that are at risk of heart disease or heart attack when they present with warning signs of being over-stressed. Treating stress with medication, exercise or other methods may reduce the chance that they will have to be treated for a heart attack or other heart related problem down the line.

Stress can also impact a person’s health in many other ways, including problems with sleep and digestion, depression, obesity, memory impairment and worsening of skin conditions. However, heart attack, heart disease and other cardiovascular problems are still the most dangerous consequences of too much stress and are the most serious problems to fix. If you or a loved one has medical malpractice questions in New York, please contact Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, serving clients with Nassau and Suffolk County medical malpractice, Brooklyn medical malpractice, Bronx medical malpractice and Queens medical malpractice cases. Silberstein, Awad & Miklos also serve clients located in Staten Island and Westchester County.

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