Younger Women May Be More Susceptible To Heart Attack Due To Mental Stress, Study Shows

In a recent study published in Journal of the American Heart Association, younger women suffering from mental stress and coronary heart disease are more likely to have myocardial ischemia, a condition wherein the blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced, leading to a heart attack. This is because mental stress affects the heart more in women aged 50 and below.

The study reveals that women aged 30 to 50 who are suffering from heart illnesses are more vulnerable to psychological stress that damages the heart. This may be due to their lifestyles and responsibilities.

According to Viola Vaccarino, M.D., Ph.D., lead study author, "Younger women tend to have quite a lot of stress in their lives. Many of them have full-time jobs and at the same time have numerous responsibilities at home; financial hardship, as well as depression and anxiety which are common in this group." Vaccarino added that stress and emotional struggles should always be asked by clinicians. Helpful ways to deal with them should also be recommended.

Medical Xpress reported that 686 coronary heart disease patients participated in the study conducted by The Mental Stress Ischemia Mechanisms Prognosis. The respondents aged 34 to 79 years old underwent imaging tests in which pictures of their hearts were taken before and during mental stress. Changes in the blood flow among men and women were examined, considering age as an important factor.

The findings suggest that compared to men and older women, reduced blood flow occurred more often in younger women, specifically 33 percent of women aged 50 years and below. Additionally, the occurrence of reduced blood flow doubled in women as the age decreased by 10 years.

Moreover, the results indicate that the medical history and risk factors of men and women were similar; however, women's adverse psychosocial profile was worse. Healio reported that women showed higher rates of inadequate blood supply in the heart muscles due to mental and conventional stress.

Meanwhile, researchers claim that the study is limited, for only a small number of younger women participated. As of writing, further studies are being recommended to establish more data about the relationship of mental stress and heart attack in women.