Physical exertion and emotional stress can be lethal triggers for
heart attacks among sedentary cardiac patients who have a history
of heart disease. Unlike factors commonly associated with the development
of coronary heart disease such as cigarette smoking, lack of exercise,
work stress, anxiety and depression, heart attack triggers are very
different.
Researchers made an important distinction: exercise reduced the
risk of heart attacks for healthy people but had the opposite effect
on inactive cardiac patients who might be placing their health in
jeopardy by engaging in vigorous activities.
One study revealed that people who seldom exercised were nearly
seven times more likely to suffer a heart attack after engaging
in strenuous activities over those who exercised more than three
times a week.
Experts hope that the findings from this report will prompt physicians
to discuss the events leading up to the cardiac event with their
patients in order to pinpoint what they were doing hours before
the event. The example researchers cited was a patient who suffered
a heart attack after enduring vigorous exertion who then became
fearful of engaging in exercise in the future. Experts stressed
that these patients need to understand that they could still reap
great benefits from daily physical activity.
This presents a dilemma among physicians
because there are no set guidelines for addressing psychological
factors in their cardiac practice. For now, authors of the review
made the following recommendations:
- Cardiac specialists should screen for psychosocial issues
- Recognize that some of these issues can be managed within cardiac
practice
- Consider referring patients with severe psychological issues
to appropriate specialists
Psychosomatic
Medicine, March/April 2005, Volume 67, Issue 2: 179-186
Science
Blog March 23, 2005
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