Most physicians are now convinced that emotional stress, under certain circumstances, can play a role in the development of chronic heart disease, and even in the precipitation of acute cardiac crises. If you are experiencing significant of emotional stress and are reacting to it negatively, you should be concerned about preventing stress-related heart problems.
Here are some proven steps you can take to reduce the effect of stress on your heart.
I had a pre-heart attack 7 years ago, it was caught early enough that two stents were inserted. I think the biggest problem with stress is dealing with heart attack like sysmptoms like heartburn, I still say it doesnt feel like a heart attack but the cardiologists do. So If I can’t tell the difference between GERD and muscle pain (from the statins?) and I don’t know how other people can deal with the stress that leads to panic attacks which compounds itself even more. They gave me nirtoglycerine, I’d take two nothing would happen, then the instructions said “Call an ambulance”, then the stress/panic really begins. After my stents I went to the ER two times the first sixth months, and felt chest pain for 2 years. Comprehensive tests said it was not my heart, but just a month ago (6 years later) I went to the ER with the same symptoms, they tested throughoughly and said they thought it was GERD and muscular/skeletal. I don’t know cardiac hypocondriacs mentally survive. I take lorazapam rarely but if I am having chest pains or a high stress situation which only compounds and acccererates a panic response (who wants to die?), its almost a cruly unfair torture that heart attack patients have to learn to endure, I always prided myself for self-control as I majored in psychology and dealing with the panic attacks has got to be one of the hardest mental challenges of my life. The lorazapam works but waiting 45 minutes for it to work is sheer mental torture. If you are a heart patient I am sure you can relate and what ever you can do to ease the anxiety I would suggest it, otherwise you know that stress may easily bring about another attack, and this tie it may be the big one. Seeing a mental health professional to control stress might be a life saving decision.