Frequently Asked Questions

Does stress really cause heart disease?

It depends on what you mean by stress.

Physical stress (i.e., exertion) is, in general, good for you.  It is actually the lack of physical stress – the sedentary lifestyle – that causes heart disease.  Of course, if you already have coronary artery disease then physical exertion can indeed precipitate angina or even a heart attack.  But it is not the physical stress that causes the coronary artery disease in the first place.

There is a fair amount of circumstantial evidence that emotional stress can be a risk factor for cardiac disease.  But nobody can avoid all emotional stress (and really, who would want to?)   The degree of risk imparted by emotional stress depends on the type of stress, and how we react to it. 

The emotional stress caused by a lack of a sense of control over one’s life is especially bad for us.  (So your unreasonable boss may really be killing you.)  But even more important is our response to such stress.  People who can react relatively serenely to emotional stress seem to suffer no ill effects.  But people who react with a teeth-clenching frustration may be increasing their risk for coronary artery disease over the long-term.  Studies are underway to assess whether stress management training can reduce the increased risk imparted by emotional stress.

Click here for a more detailed discussion of the relationship between stress and heart disease.

About.com has an excellent Stress Management Site.

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