title: Association between stressful life events and resting heart rate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite a diverse literature, the association between stress and various cardiovascular conditions remains controversial. Moreover, a direct association between stressful life events (SLEs) and heart rate (HR) have not been fully investigated. This study evaluated the association between SLEs and resting HR in middle-aged Koreans.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional analysis was conducted for 1,703 men and 2,730 women aged 27-87 years from the community-based Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study-Kanghwa study. All participants completed a baseline health examination. The life experience survey questionnaire was administered to measure SLEs experienced during the past 3 months. Resting blood pressure and HR were measured twice over a 5 minute interval. If the difference in blood pressure was more than 10 mmHg, then a third blood pressure and HR measurement was taken after 5 minutes of rest. The average of the last two measurements was used for analysis. The association between SLEs and HR was assessed by correlation and multiple linear regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with people with no SLEs (mean HR of 67.30 beats/min), HR was significantly lower in those who experienced one (mean HR of 65.64 beats/min, p = 0.002), two (mean HR of 63.73 beats/min, p < 0.001), and 3+ SLEs (mean HR of 64.17 beats/min, p < 0.001). This association was observed even after adjustment for sex, age, body mass index, hypertension treatment, oral contraceptive use, postmenopausal hormone therapy, thyroid disease, liver disease, cigarette smoking use, alcohol drinking use, and blood urea nitrogen to creatinine ratio. Compared with people with no SLEs, those with 1, 2, and 3+ SLEs had a lower resting HR by 1.485 (p = 0.005), 3.718 (p < 0.001), and 3.176 (p < 0.001), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that the experience of a recent SLEs are associated with a lower resting HR in Korean adults. Although further investigation is required, people who have experienced recent SLEs and have a lower HR than usual may need attention for their stress level.
authors: Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu 120-752, Seoul, Republic of Korea ; Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors: Ju-Mi
authors: JM
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu 120-752, Seoul, Republic of Korea ; Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors: Hyeon Chang
authors: HC
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Jee In
authors: JI
authors: Kang
authors: Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu 120-752, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Il
authors: I
authors: Suh
keywords: Heart rate; Life change events; Psychological stress
references: Biol Psychol. 2010 May;84(2):290-5
references: 20206227
references: Science. 1976 Dec 3;194(4269):1013-20
references: 790570
references: Psychosom Med. 2001 Jul-Aug;63(4):650-7
references: 11485119
references: J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1957 Aug;17(8):1005-8
references: 13449153
references: J Psychosom Res. 1997 Sep;43(3):247-58
references: 9304551
references: Biol Psychol. 2011 Mar;86(3):383-5
references: 21291951
references: Psychother Psychosom. 2002 Nov-Dec;71(6):350-6
references: 12411770
references: J Prev Med Public Health. 2009 Jan;42(1):21-8
references: 19229121
references: Hypertension. 2002 Nov;40(5):768-73
references: 12411475
references: Am Heart J. 1977 May;93(5):645-57
references: 15447
references: Biol Psychiatry. 2001 Apr 1;49(7):637-43
references: 11297721
references: Am J Epidemiol. 1980 Dec;112(6):736-49
references: 7457467
references: Diabetes Care. 2007 Apr;30(4):872-7
references: 17392548
references: Am J Epidemiol. 1999 May 1;149(9):853-62
references: 10221322
references: Diabetes Care. 2010 Feb;33(2):378-84
references: 19880581
references: Circulation. 2012 Jan 24;125(3):491-6
references: 22230481
references: Circulation. 2002 Sep 3;106(10):1229-36
references: 12208798
references: Health Psychol. 1991;10(1):62-74
references: 2026132
references: Circulation. 2000 Oct 17;102(16):1912-6
references: 11034938
references: Soc Sci Med Med Psychol Med Sociol. 1980 Mar;14A(2):119-26
references: 7209610
references: Natl Health Stat Report. 2011 Aug 24;(41):1-16
references: 21905522
references: J Psychosom Res. 1975 Feb;19(1):27-32
references: 1142312
references: J Consult Clin Psychol. 1978 Oct;46(5):932-46
references: 701572
references: Am Heart J. 1987 Jun;113(6):1489-94
references: 3591616
references: Horm Behav. 2010 Feb;57(2):209-15
references: 19944105
references: Cerebrovasc Dis. 2004;18(4):318-24
references: 15359099
references: Exp Physiol. 2011 Jun;96(6):574-89
references: 21421701
references: J Psychosom Res. 1971 Mar;15(1):19-24
references: 5576340
references: Hypertension. 2005 Nov;46(5):1201-6
references: 16203875
references: Heart. 2011 Apr;97(8):623-5
references: 21357371
references: Psychol Bull. 2006 May;132(3):477-95
references: 16719570
references: J Psychosom Res. 1971 Mar;15(1):33-9
references: 5576343
references: Stress. 2013 Jan;16(1):16-23
references: 22416877