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Stress, hostility, depression associated with increased stroke risk
Results of a study published in Stroke suggest a correlation between stroke risk and higher levels of stress, hostility and depressive symptoms.
“There’s such a focus on traditional risk factors — cholesterol levels, blood pressures, smoking and so forth — and those are all very important, but studies like this one show that psychological characteristics are equally important,” Susan Everson-Rose, PhD, MPH, associate professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, said in a press release.
Susan Everson-Rose
Everson-Rose and colleagues evaluated data for 6,749 adults aged 45 to 84 years without cardiovascular disease at baseline to determine the rate of stroke and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) among them.
During follow-up (median 8.5 years), 195 events took place, including 147 strokes and 48 TIAs.
An increased risk for stroke was found for each one point increase on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (HR=1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04), as well as higher levels of chronic stress (HR=1.19; 95% CI, 1.05-1.34) and hostility (HR=1.10; 95% CI, 1.01-1.19).
Compared with participants with low psychological scores, those with the highest scores for depression were more likely to experience an event (HR=1.86; 95% CI, 1.16-2.96), as well as those with the highest chronic stress (HR= 1.59; 95% CI, 1.11-2.27) and hostility scores (HR=2.22; 95% CI, 1.29-3.81).
“It is important for clinicians to be aware that stress and negative emotions can contribute to stroke risk in their patients,” Everson-Rose told Healio.com. “Clinicians should screen for high levels of stress and depression, for example, and help their patients identify effective treatments or coping strategies to less the impact of chronic stress and negative emotions.” — by Amber Cox
Susan Everson-Rose, PhD, MPH, can be reached at 717 Delaware St. SE, Suite 166, Minneapolis, MN 55414.
Disclosure: See the full study for a complete list of relevant financial disclosures.