The actor Shreyas Talpade overworked himself for 28 years, putting in enormous hours at the office and never checking himself into the hospital. Despite having heart disease in his family history and risk factors such as high cholesterol, he never slowed down. Based on his most recent Instagram post, that’s what finally led to his heart attack. We don’t give ourselves or our families enough credit. He wrote, “We think we have time,” highlighting the negative effects of work-related stress.
Heart attacks and stress
In today’s competitive environment, no one can ignore stress of any kind and the pressure to live up to expectations. What is your coping strategy and how are you handling it, is the query. Stress is a natural part of life, according to Dr. Nishith Chandra, Principal Director of Interventional Cardiology at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute in New Delhi. It has an innate ability to react in a fight-or-flight manner in emergency or crisis situations. We get goosebumps and fast heartbeats. But as the moment goes by, they disappear. However, this system might cause harm if it is continuously activated. Acute stress gradually transforms into chronic stress.
This indicates that prolonged stress can raise blood pressure, triglycerides, blood sugar, and cholesterol due to the release of endorphins, cortisol, and adrenaline at elevated levels. Additionally, it increases blood vessel inflammation. Imagine experiencing high risk variables on a constant basis. That’s the effect of ongoing stress. It narrows the arteries, thickens the blood, and increases blood pressure. Even the smallest artery plaque can burst under such stress and strain, which results in clotting, according to Dr. Chandra.
In 2021, a study revealed that 5.8% of test volunteers who were followed for 11.2 years had cardiovascular events such as strokes and heart attacks in response to ongoing stress. Regardless of the presence of additional risk factors such as hypertension, smoking, obesity, diabetes, or physical inactivity, the chance of these occurrences increased by 90% when cortisol levels in their urine tests doubled. The study discovered a higher association between two hormones, cortisol and dopamine, and hypertension in younger adults compared to those 60 years of age and above.
Tracking Heart Attack
Stress is an inherent component of a world where deadlines are crucial. Consequently, according to Dr. Chandra, “any 30-year-old should get an annual check-up done, particularly post-COVID, when the heart attack risk has clearly gone up. While those with a family history and cardiomyopathy need to be vigilant from their 20s.” Simply perform the annual blood sugar, cholesterol, and echocardiography tests, as well as the treadmill and ECG. In order to address and monitor any warning signals, he even recommends routine GP checkups before seeing a cardiologist.
How to calm down stress
“The majority of my patients report that they lack personal time. People need to understand that health comes first, and that work and the anxieties and competition they bring are just one factor. Maintaining the job would be more difficult without it, according to Dr. Chandra.
According to him, engaging in daily physical activity for even 15 to 20 minutes can prevent heart disease. “It’s not necessary for you to be a gym rat.” Yoga, meditation, and leisure activities are good ways to decompress, but getting enough sleep is also a viable option. The arteries’ and blood vessels’ cells require time to mend and heal. As a result, years of inadequate sleep—four or five hours a night—can cause even a regular workout or staying up late to induce a heart attack, according to Dr. Chandra.