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New findings show that young women who are dealing with heart issues are more likely to be affected by emotional stress than young men. This theory was presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions’ 2014.
Heart attacks are the number one killer for both men and women, but a new study suggests that women are at higher risk of death than men because of mental stress.
For the study, researchers recruited 534 participants with stable coronary heart disease. They measured the blood flow of the heart via nuclear imaging when participants underwent mental health stress tests. The results revealed that women 55 and younger experienced reduced blood flow that was three times greater than in men of the same age.
The physical stress test, on the other hand, found no significant difference on the level of stress that both genders experienced while running on a treadmill.
Researchers attributed the higher level of mental stress seen in women to their regular exposure to stressful activities such as taking care of their children, marriages, jobs and the elderly – meaning parents or relatives.
“If they note that their patient is under psychological stress or is depressed, they should advise the woman to get relevant help or support from mental health providers, stress reduction programs or other means,”
concluded researchers, in a news release.
Symptoms of a heart attack can vary in men and women, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Men experience chest pressure while women experience shortness of breath, pain in the lower or upper abdomen, dizziness, fainting, upper back-pressure or extreme fatigue.
“Women who develop heart disease at a younger age make up a special high-risk group because they are disproportionally vulnerable to emotional stress,”
Dr. Viola Vaccarino of Emory University in Atlanta, GA said.
The researchers explained that biology may play a role in their findings, pointing to a greater tendency in women’s bodies for emotional stress to trigger abnormal blood vessel function, including exaggerated coronary or peripheral blood vessel constriction.
“If they note that their patient is under psychological stress or is depressed, they should advise the woman to get relevant help or support from mental health providers, stress reduction programs or other means,”
Dr. Vaccarino said.
