are heart attacks caused by stress?
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Can stress cause a heart attack? Stress alone doesn't cause a heart attack. But if you cope with stress by turning to unhealthy habits like smoking or eating junk food, your risk increases. This is because these unhealthy habits can lead to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.
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In this Article Most heart attacks happen suddenly when one of the arteries leading to the heart becomes blocked and cuts off the blood flow. Without oxygen, the heart muscles start to die. Heart failure, on the other hand, usually develops gradually.
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A stressful situation sets off a chain of events. Your body releases adrenaline, a hormone that temporarily causes your breathing and heart rate to speed up and your blood pressure to rise. These reactions prepare you to deal with the situation — the "fight or flight" response.
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Heart problems. High stress levels can raise your blood pressure and heart rate. Over time, high blood pressure can cause serious health problems, such as stroke and heart attacks. Younger women with a history of heart problems especially may be at risk of the negative effects of stress on the heart.
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Heart attack. A heart attack occurs when an artery supplying your heart with blood and oxygen becomes blocked. Fatty deposits build up over time, forming plaques in your heart's arteries. If a plaque ruptures, a blood clot can form and block your arteries, causing a heart attack.
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What Causes Chest Pain? Chest pain is a common symptom of many heart problems, including: Coronary artery disease, which happens when cholesterol builds up on the walls of your arteries. This can make your arteries narrow, or even block them completely, raising your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
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Blood pressure is not an accurate predictor of a heart attack. Sometimes a heart attack can cause an increase or decrease in blood pressure, but having a change in blood pressure reading doesn't always mean it's heart-related.
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Causes. A heart attack occurs when one or more of your coronary arteries becomes blocked. Over time, a buildup of fatty deposits, including cholesterol, form substances called plaques, which can narrow the arteries (atherosclerosis). This condition, called coronary artery disease, causes most heart attacks.
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Anxiety causes the release of stress hormones in the body. These hormones trigger an increase in the heart rate and a narrowing of the blood vessels. Both of these changes cause blood pressure to rise, sometimes dramatically.
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A heart attack occurs when one of the heart's coronary arteries is blocked suddenly or has extremely slow blood flow. A heart attack also is called a myocardial infarction.
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Severe stress, such as the death of a loved one, divorce, or job loss can also trigger panic attacks. Panic attacks can also be caused by medical conditions and other physical causes.
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Anxiety is a reaction to the stress. Whether in good times or bad, most people say that stress interferes at least moderately with their lives. Chronic stress can affect your health, causing symptoms from headaches, high blood pressure, and chest pain to heart palpitations, skin rashes, and loss of sleep.
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This can raise their risk of depression and anxiety. Heart problems. High stress levels can raise your blood pressure and heart rate. Over time, high blood pressure can cause serious health problems, such as stroke and heart attacks.
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When you're feeling anxious or stressed, your body releases stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. These cause the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as an increased heart rate and increased sweating.
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Research shows that in the two hours after an angry outburst, a person has a slightly higher risk of having chest pain (angina), a heart attack, a stroke, or a risky heart rhythm. "Anger causes an outpouring of stress hormones like adrenaline, which makes your heart beat faster and your blood pressure rise.
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Panic attacks arise when stress hormones trigger the body's "fight or flight" response, often resulting in racing heart, chest pain and shortness of breath. In the case of a heart attack, a blockage in a coronary artery may result in the same symptoms.
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The pain of a heart attack differs from that of a strained chest muscle. A heart attack may cause a dull pain or an uncomfortable feeling of pressure in the chest. Usually, the pain begins in the center of the chest, and it may radiate outward to one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.