Stress – a good servant, but a bad master

We live in an age when we are constantly under the influence of the broadest range of emotions – work stress and the necessity of making decisions quickly and under pressure, as well as, for example the ceaseless us of mobile devices. Such an emotionally charged environment has a powerful effect on our mental state. However, we often ignore the way that all of this impacts our physical health, particularly with respect to the most important organ of all – the heart.

“We can easily see the impact of unpleasant, conflict and stressful situations on the heart – our pulse increases, so we feel the heart pounding, and our blood pressure rises, which can manifest as a headache.  And increased blood pressure can damage the walls of blood vessels,” says MUDr. Pavel Poláček, head of cardiology at Canadian Medical, who further clarifies that short-term stress usually isn’t harmful. However, long-term stress is worse. If we are exposed to stress over a long period of time, our hearts can be subject to serious problems. “Patients who find themselves in a stressful environment for a long time are more prone to using unhealthy ways to mitigate their stress. Smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol, overeating and insufficient sleep are of course just some of the other factors that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease,” says MUDr. Pavel Poláček.

Broken heart syndrome

This acute heart condition caused by negative feelings and emotional stress even has its own chapter in the professional literature. Unfortunately, a “broken heart” is not just a phrase, but a diagnosis that doctors refer to as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. The illness is characterised by temporary dysfunction of the left ventricle and can even lead to heart failure. In most cases, the patient recovers within roughly a month. However, up to 2%-5% of patients succumb to the syndrome. “This illness most commonly affects women after menopause and its acute manifestations include chest pain and shortness of breath, similar to an acute myocardial infarction,” MUDr. Poláček adds.

Will having a positive mood protect us?

The effects of our emotional experience on the functioning of the circulatory system are not necessarily only negative. For example, a 2010 study showed that people who more frequently experience positive emotions such as joy, happiness and enthusiasm have a significantly lower risk of heart disease, depending on the intensity of the experience. Positive emotions can have a favourable impact on one’s heart rate and quality of sleep. People who are happy and content over the long term are also able to more quickly overcome short-term negative emotions and thus prevent acute health problems.

“Research shows that people who take care of their mental well-being over the long term have up to a one-third lower risk of cardiological disorders, including heart attack and stroke. A positive mental state can also significantly help patients with an unfavourable family medical history or with an existing chronic illness. In combination with a healthy lifestyle and sufficient exercise, psychological well-being is a pillar of thorough cardiological preventive care,” says MUDr. Pavel Poláček, commenting on the conclusions of the aforementioned research.

Laboratory tests provide important information

It is not always possible to entirely avoid negative emotions. Therefore, it is crucially important that we take preventive care of our hearts. One of the effective ways to be aware of our health condition is through preventive laboratory tests, which includes blood sampling and subsequent analysis of key lipids, including HDL and LDL cholesterol (so-called “good” and “bad” cholesterol). The analysis thus provides important information on the status of fats in the blood, which is essential for evaluating the risk of heart disease and for determining the right treatment.