Stress, But Not Anger, Increases Stroke Risk
Chronic stress and depressive symptoms in general increase the risk of stroke and ischemic attack in older people.
In order to better understand the effects of anger, chronic stress, depression, and feelings of hostility on the risk of stroke and transient ischemic attack, researchers conducted a study of 6749 participants (age 45-84) who were free of cardiovascular disease.
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Using questionnaires, researchers took the psychological profiles of the participants using inquiries regarding personal health, work, relationships, and finances.
Over the course of the study, 195 events—147 strokes and 48 ischemic attacks—were reported.
Participants with the highest scores of depressive symptoms and chronic stress showed an 86% and 59% higher likelihood of stroke or ischemic attack. Those who had the most feelings of hostility were twice as likely to experience a negative outcome than those with healthy profiles.
Anger, researchers noted, had no effect on risk levels.
All increases in risk were shown to be independent of usual lifestyle risk factors, including smoking, alcohol consumption, high BMI, and blood pressure.
“Higher levels of stress, hostility, and depressive symptoms are associated with significantly increased risk of incident stroke or transient ischemic attacks in middle-aged and older adults. Associations are not explained by known stroke risk factors,” they concluded.
–Michael Potts
Reference
Everson-Rose SA, Roetker NS, Lutsey PL, et al. Chronic stress, depressive symptoms, anger, hostility, and risk of stroke and transient ischemic attack in the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis. Stroke. 2014 July 10 [epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.114.004815