In a large international study including 14,767 people in 52 countries, stress was identified as a significant factor linked to increased risk of a heart attack. Researchers defined stress as, "feeling irritable, filled with anxiety, or as having sleeping difficulties as a result of conditions at work or home."
People who experience stress at work or home often or for "several periods" were 1.45 times more likely to have a heart attack than those who seldom experienced stress. People who were under continual stress at work or home were 2.17 times more likely to have a heart attack. High levels of stress in people's lives contributed to about 33% of heart attacks, a contribution similar to obesity.
Psychosocial factors linked to increased risk of heart attacks included:
- High levels of stress at work
- High levels of stress at home
- Strong financial stress
- Stressful life events (two or more major events in the past year)
- Feeling depressed
The study showed that people who had more control over their lives had a lower risk of heart disease. Combining all of the factors: stress at home, work, financial, feeling sad or blue, and having stressful life events increased the risk of a heart attack by 2.5 times. These risks were consistent in all 52 countries.
The prevalence of stress varied from country to country, but if present, the increased risk was similar throughout the world. The country with the lowest percent of people with a high-stress score was China (7.7%) and North America had the highest percent of people (35.3%) with a high-stress score.
It appears that learning to better manage stress in your life, or living in such a way as to minimize stress, is a positive way to improve heart health and enjoy a happier life. |
