Stress and Heart Attacks

Introduction

Stress and heart attacks victims become more common in this very fast life style.

Stress is an unavoidable consequence of life.

Stress is not always harmful.

Positive stress

Stress to some extent gives us positive results.

Positive stress gives energy to work and results in increased productivity.

Insufficient stress acts as a  depressant and may leave us feeling bored or dejected.

Negative Stress

Stress which is higher than the optimal level decreases the productivity and health.

Definition of Stress

Medical science gives the description as a specific response of the body to all nonspecific demands( physical, psychological or threatened)

Due to this nonspecific demands some hormones are secreted in the body results in physiological and pathological changes.

The hormones those secreted are ACTH(Adreno CorticoTrophic Hormone),Cortisol,Adrenaline and Nor Adrenaline.

Practical Definition

The problems presented with every day life exceeds the resources for coping with them.

The problems may generated externally or internally(Example-Fear,Hope and Expectations)

How does stress affect health and heart

Increase of blood pressure.

Increased fat and cholesterol concentration in the blood.

Increased deposition of fat in the coronary arteries leading to arteriosclerosis.

Constriction of coronary arteries.

Increased level of blood sugar.

Increased anxiety and stress causes and spasm of heart blood vessels and produces angina and heart attack.

This is the reason why people are having heart attack after hearing bad news.

Stress and heart attacks incidence are more common in the well developed countries than in under developed.

Clinical statistics shows there are lot of heart attack victims are seen as excessive stress is the only factor in causation for angina and heart attack without significant risk factors like hypertension, high blood cholesterol, diabetes and family history.

Victims of stress and heart attacks

Research shows people those who are aggressive in nature, always short of time, short tempered and stressful in nature are more prone to develop heart attacks.

These people are referred as Type A personalities.( Example-CEO of a company).

Effects of stress on the body and stress symptoms

Head ache due to increased blood pressure.

Inability to sleep(Insomnia)

Increased Heart rate.

Increased muscle tension.

Hyper acidity in the stomach and indigestion.

Dryness of mouth.

Decreased bowel and bladder tone.

Increased respiratory rate.

Return from stress and heart attacks to heart attack symptoms