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Negative
emotions may mean trouble for heart Adding to evidence that depression, anxiety and hostility
can be hard on the heart, new research links negative emotions to a higher
risk of coronary heart disease in men. Among nearly 500 older men followed for three years, higher scores on a
standard measure of negative emotions were tied to a higher risk of
developing heart disease. The test gauged psychological factors like
depressed mood, anxiousness, pessimism and distorted thought processes
such as concentration problems. For each one-point increase in these scores, heart disease risk climbed
6 percent, according to findings published in the American Journal of
Cardiology. Most importantly, the study's lead author said, men who harbored such
emotions faced greater heart risks even when other key factors, like
abdominal obesity, high blood pressure and insulin resistance, were taken
into account. This gives further evidence that negative emotions themselves have
important effects on heart health, according to Dr. John F. Todaro, of He told Reuters Health there are several possible explanations for the
connection. One has to do with heart rate variability, the normal
fluctuations in a person's heart rate. People who are depressed or who
have hostile personalities may have decreased heart rate variability,
which puts stress on the system. "The heart is working overtime," Todaro explained. Another possibility has to do with inflammation in the cardiovascular
system. Recent research suggests that depressed or hostile individuals
have higher levels of inflammatory proteins and other "markers"
in the blood, according to Todaro. It's widely believed that such
continuous, system-wide inflammation plays an important role in coronary
artery disease. Todaro also pointed to a non-biological explanation: People with
chronically negative feelings may be less likely to stick with medical
advice or regimens that could prevent heart complications. Another major question that remains unanswered is whether addressing
emotional issues might prevent some cases of heart disease. "If you treat negative emotions, what are the outcomes?"
Todaro wondered. Research into this area, he noted, has not yet been fruitful, but it is
also in the very early stages. Source: American Journal of Cardiology, October 15,
2003. Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging |
