Johns Hopkins Health Alert
Can Anxiety Cause a Heart Attack?
A number of studies link depression with heart attacks, although doctors aren't sure how depression increases the risk. But what about anxiety? A reader asks: “I know that depression is a risk factor for a heart attack. But what about anxiety?”
Anxiety also appears to be a risk factor for heart attacks. According to a recent study of 735 older, healthy men, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, those with the highest levels of anxiety were at greater risk for a heart attack over 12 years than men with less anxiety. In addition, the more severe the anxiety, the higher the risk of a heart attack.
The relationship between anxiety and heart attacks held even after controlling for other heart attack risk factors -- such as age, body weight, LDL cholesterol levels, and systolic blood pressure -- and after taking into account other negative emotions like depression and anger. In fact, anxiety was a better predictor of heart attacks than depression, anger, hostility, and type A behavior.
Anxious people experience chronic stress, which activates the autonomic nervous system and may increase inflammation and blood clotting, all of which can contribute to heart attacks. Anxiety may also impair regulation of heart rate. Anxiety disorders include panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety, phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder.
All of these illnesses are treatable. If you think you may have an anxiety disorder, call your doctor. Treatment options include cognitive-behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques, and medication.
Posted in Heart Health on October 9, 2009
Reviewed January 2011
Medical Disclaimer: This information is not intended to substitute for the advice of a physician. Click here for additional information: Johns Hopkins Health Alerts Disclaimer
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This relationship between anxiety and coronary event rate must be the reason why Dr. Dean Ornish insists so much on addressing this issue with some relaxation techniques. It may remind us all that in order to reverse heart disease successfully we may want to address all the contributing factors, from cholesterol level to hypertension and anxiety. - NGBeditor
Posted by: heartMonitron | October 11, 2009 6:44 AM
The present post is about the article titled "The psychology of mindless eating". For some obscure robotic reason the JH software insisted on having it posted in this section instead of the weight control section, Go Figger!
Limit variety in order to limit compulsive food intake : YES!
But to limit variety when it comes to non-starchy vegetables or low-sugar fruits… Well!,…maybe I would like, very, very humbly and with all due respect to the most competent staff at Johns Hopkins, make a suggestion: Please exclude de facto healthy veggies and fruits from the limitations.
The recommendation would become something like this: Fill half of your plate with healthy fruits, low in fructose or sugar and / or with healthy non-starchy vegetables. Limit the other half of the plate (carbohydrates and protein) to only two choices of reasonable portion.
When I first read the article, I envisioned somebody with a plate filled with two selections:
50% regular ground hamburger meat and 50% buttered-up mashed potatoes. As an editor of the very obscure hM Journals, it is very difficult for me to disagree, even just a little bit, with the good people at Johns Hopkins. I have umpteen times in the past quoted JH as one of the best sources of health-related information.
But could you, please, kindly rephrase and exclude healthy fruits and veggies from the limitations. - Thanks, NGBeditor.
Posted by: heartMonitron | October 18, 2009 5:20 PM
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YES IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE DESCRIPTION AND IS A USEFUL INFORMATION.
Posted by: malamgir | October 11, 2009 5:52 AM