- Dr. P. Singh

The relationship between stress, heart disease and sudden death has been recognized since antiquity. Napoleon's favorite physician, Corvisart, wrote that heart disease was due to "the passions of the mind", among which he included anger, madness, fear, jealousy, terror, love, despair, joy, avarice, stupidity, and ambition. Coronary heart disease is also much more common in individuals subjected to chronic stress. Prolonged stress can wreak havoc on your cardiovascular system. Elevated stress hormones increase the odds of developing heart disease. There is a fair amount of circumstantial evidence that chronic emotional stress can be associated with heart disease and early death. Studies have found an increased frequency of sudden cardiac death and MI in relation to catastrophes such as an earthquake or war, suggesting that psychological and emotional stress brought on by such disasters can trigger cardiac events. Subjective 'stress' perceived by the person can increase adrenergic output, alter the coagulation system, increase blood viscosity and promote the development of arrhythmias. These are postulated to contribute to the role played by psychological stress in initiating acute coronary events. ....

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