How Stress, Depression and Anxiety Can Cause Mental and Heart Disease

Symptoms and signs of heart diseases:Depression and anxiety also chronically elevate levels
Chest pains or breathlessness are the early signs ofof stress hormones and thereby diverting the body
heart diseases when the person feels tightness,metabolism meant for tissue construction needed to
burning pain, heaviness and pressure behind therepair the heart diseases. Heart is one of the most
breastbone. Mental health disorders can be treatedimportant organs of our body. Only the health
under the supervision of skilled professionals like anyprofessionals can evaluate the heart diseases after
other diseases depending totally upon theconducting intensive tests.
circumstances and symptoms exhibited by the person.Strategies for promoting a healthy heart: The diagnosis
Mental health disorders are very closely associatedof heart disease in relation to other mental health
with coronary heart diseases. When the blood supplydisorders are the wakeup call alerting you to view
is cut off, the unfortunate result is the heart attack.your own habits that might be harmful or worsen the
Heart disease facts:disease.
Heart disease is related to two conditions, which areMechanisms that link heart diseases to mental health
myocardial infarction (heart attack) and angina pectoris.disorders:
Mental health disorders and heart diseases are twoPsychosocial factors like stress, depression, anxiety,
major causes for disability in a person. Exercise is theand other mental health disorders are the stronger risk
best potential way to improve mental health and theyfactors associated with heart diseases when
can slow down the risks of heart disease is.compared with other health defects. Smoking and
It can cause adverse cardiovascular outcomes in thedrinking which are normally taken to combat stress
patients with the history heart disease. The symptomsshould be avoided since they lead to increase in heart
of depression like fatigue, loss of interest in work andrate and blood pressure.
activities, loss of appetite, weight loss, and restlessnessMental health disorders lead to physiologic changes
interfere with the normal functioning of the heart thussuch as cardiac rhythm disturbances, hyper-cogulability
leading to heart disease.and inflammation. These signs usually call for
Treatment:immediate medical intervention. If the oxygen rich blood
Mental health disorder and heart disease can lead todoes not reach the heart the person develops a pain
extreme sickness and death. It has been establishedcalled angina.
that risks of heart diseases is 2-6 times moreWhen the arteries carrying nutrients and oxygen to the
common in patients having mental health disorders.heart become narrow and clogged, it results in
Heart disease or cardiac disease is a general termcoronary heart disease. Small portions of meal with
used to cover all the malfunctions of the heart.low fat diets and protein rich should be taken.
They are more likely to resort to smoking and drinkingOne of the possible mechanisms is that patients with
and thus leading to hypertension. Exercise relievesdepression and stress are less likely to comply with
stress, strengthens muscles, gives confidence, andmedical advice. Prescribed medication under proper
strengthens the cardiovascular system. However,supervision, cognitive behavioral therapy which
symptoms of depression should not be confused withpromotes adherence and behavior change, can
symptoms of cardiac failure or heart attack. There areincrease the impact of pharmacological and behavioral
several mechanisms which link stress and depressionapproach to both the diseases.
with cardiovascular diseases.It acts as a pump, which supplies oxygen rich blood to
The pain is usually in the chest or left arm. High levelsdifferent parts of the body in order to maintain a
of insulin and cholesterol also increases the risks ofhealthy body. The support of your family and friends
heart diseases like heart attacks and cardiac failure. Ahelps you in the transition to a healthy lifestyle. Hence,
healthy nutritional diet with regular fluid intake, fruits andpreventing mental and heart diseases plays a vital role
vegetables, limiting sodium, avoiding foods with highin improving the chances of survival. Several measures
saturated and trans fats like red meat, whole milkcan be adopted to reduce the symptoms of heart
should be avoided.diseases.