Study Chronic stress leads to a heart attack

Relationship between stress and myocardial infarction

06/23/2014

It has long been known that stress is harmful to health. US scientists have now succeeded in elucidating the link between chronic stress, heart attacks and strokes. What is essential here is the increase in the production of white blood cells.

More white blood cells due to chronic stress
Stress hurts health: This has often been proven in studies. It has now been said that American scientists have succeeded in elucidating the relationship between chronic stress and the increased risk of heart attack and stroke. "Chronic stress leads to increased production of white blood cells, which can then clump together and clog the arteries," said the systems biologist Matthias Nahrendorf of Harvard Medical School in Boston as co-author of the study on Sunday. On the one hand, the results of the study are based on the observation of medical staff and, on the other hand, on a test set-up with mice that have been deliberately put under stress.

Understand mechanisms of action better
On the one hand, the white blood cells, also known as leukocytes, „important to fight and cure infections“, as Nahrendorf explained, but if there are too many white blood cells and they accumulate in the wrong places, „then that can be harmful“. It has long been known that there is "an association between stress and cardiovascular disease". However, the researchers wanted to better understand the mechanisms of action. As a result, they looked at 29 ICU workers who were expected to have a high level of stress at work because of their high responsibility for life and death decisions.

Patients at risk of atherosclerosis
By analyzing questionnaires and blood samples that differentiated between working hours and free time, the scientists were able to demonstrate an association between stress and the immune system. Thus, a stress increase resulted in increased production of white blood cells. However, the fatal effects of increased production of white blood cells are linked to other risk factors. In particular, patients with atherosclerosis (arteriosclerosis) are at risk, in which the flow of blood through the veins is already difficult.

Typical conditions for increased risk of heart attack and stroke
A counter-check of the obtained knowledge took place in the experiments with mice. For this purpose, mice with atherosclerosis were selected, which were put under stress by locking a large number of animals in a small space and shaking the cage. The researchers were able to measure that the production of white blood cells in the mice increased, these accumulated on the insides of the arteries and thus created the typical conditions for an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. At the in the journal „Nature Medicine“ According to the scientists, the first evidence of a „direct biological relationship between chronic stress and chronic inflammation“.

Stress can make you sick
In addition to chronic stress, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking and genetic disposition are among the risk factors for heart attack and stroke. Stress can also increase the risk of other medical conditions, such as stomach problems, bowel problems, headaches or burnout. And just recently, a study again linked stress and back pain. In order to make his life healthier, relaxation therapies such as autogenic training or progressive muscle relaxation offer relief from a naturopathic point of view. (Ad)