The cardiovascular toll of stress.
Psychological stress elicits measurable changes in sympathetic-parasympathetic balance and the tone of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which might negatively affect the cardiovascular system both acutely-by precipitating myocardial infarction, left-ventricular dysfunction, or dysrhythmia; and chronically-by accelerating the atherosclerotic process. We provide an overview of the association between stress and cardiovascular morbidity, discuss the mechanisms for this association, and address possible therapeutic implications.
Brotman
Daniel J
DJ
Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. brotman@jhmi.edu
Golden
Sherita H
SH
Wittstein
Ilan S
IS
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004644:Emotions; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology