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The cardiovascular toll of stress

Daniel J Brotman1, Sherita H Golden, Ilan S Wittstein

  • 1Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. brotman@jhmi.edu

Lancet (London, England)
|September 8, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Psychological stress impacts the body

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Psychoneuroimmunology
  • Stress Physiology

Background:

  • Psychological stress alters autonomic nervous system balance and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity.
  • These neuroendocrine changes can adversely impact cardiovascular health.
  • Both acute and chronic stress exposure are implicated in cardiovascular events.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of the association between stress and cardiovascular morbidity.
  • To elucidate the underlying mechanisms linking stress to cardiovascular disease.
  • To explore potential therapeutic strategies for mitigating stress-related cardiovascular risks.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of existing research.
  • Analysis of physiological pathways connecting stress responses to cardiovascular outcomes.
  • Discussion of clinical evidence and therapeutic interventions.

Main Results:

  • Stress significantly affects sympathetic-parasympathetic balance and HPA axis function.
  • Acute stress can trigger immediate cardiovascular events like myocardial infarction and dysrhythmia.
  • Chronic stress contributes to the progression of atherosclerosis and long-term cardiovascular damage.

Conclusions:

  • A strong link exists between psychological stress and cardiovascular morbidity.
  • Understanding the mechanisms of stress-induced cardiovascular damage is crucial for prevention and treatment.
  • Targeting stress pathways offers potential therapeutic implications for cardiovascular disease management.

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