Stress-Related Illness: Cardiovascular and Psychiatric Disorders

STRESS AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISORDERS

• Acute and chronic stress can affect different aspects of the cardiovascular system.. e.g.:
• Hypertension
• Coronary heart disease 
• Stroke
• Although these cardiovascular disorders are affected by lifestyle, diet, smoking. Stress has become increasingly implicated in th development of all of the disorders listed above. 
• There are a number of suggestions which impose that stress may cause cardiovascular problems:
• stress avticates the SNS of the autonomic nervous system, leads to a constriction of the blood vessels and a rise in blood pressure and heart rate. 
• An increase in heart rate may wear away the lining of the blood vessels.
• Stress leads to increased glucose levels, leads to clumps blocking the blood vessels.
• Cardiovascular Disorders and Anger (An Acute Stressor)
• A study was conducted to test whether anger was linked to heart disorder.
• 13,000 poeple completed a 10 question anger scale, including self opinions (hot-headed how they were and what caused etc.) 
• On the onset of study none suffered from heart disease. 
• Six years later 256 had eperiences heart attacks, scoring higher were 21/2 times more likely to have a hear attack that those with lower ratings. 
• Those scoring moderate were 35% more likely.
• Anger may lead to cardiovascular disease.
• Cardiovascular Disorders And Work-Related Stress (A Chronic Stressor)
• Heart disease in medical professionals looked at. 
• One group were designated as high-stress while others low-stress.
• Heart…