Study participants who reported the highest stress levels were 33% more likely to have a stroke than those who felt less anxious or stressed. The greater the anxiety level, the higher the stroke risk, but even modest increases raised stroke risk.
Feeling stressed all the time could raise your risk of heart attack and stroke, according to a new study.
But the symptoms of anxiety are very real, and many of them resemble a stroke-like experience, for example: Difficulty thinking or formulating thoughts. Feeling like limbs or muscles cannot move. Blurry vision or dizziness. Feeling faint.
Heart disease, stroke and stress
Stress can cause the heart to work harder, increase blood pressure, and increase sugar and fat levels in the blood. These things, in turn, can increase the risk of clots forming and travelling to the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke.
According to research that appeared in Stroke, an American Heart Association journal, middle-aged and older individuals with high levels of stress, depression, and hostility were subject to a significantly higher risk of stroke or TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack, commonly known as “mini-stroke”).
In another study, higher levels of stress and depressive symptoms were linked to increased risk of what's called “incident stroke” or TIA (transient ischemic attacks) in middle-aged and older adults.
A multinational study has found that people with depression symptoms are more likely to experience a stroke, and their recovery from stroke is often more difficult. In this study, people with symptoms of depression had a 46% increased stroke risk compared with those without such symptoms.
Serious mental illnesses tied to higher risk for heart attack and stroke.
The Effect of Anxiety on the Heart
Rapid heart rate (tachycardia) – In serious cases, can interfere with normal heart function and increase the risk of sudden cardiac arrest. Increased blood pressure – If chronic, can lead to coronary disease, weakening of the heart muscle, and heart failure.
What is stroke related OCD? The Fear of a stroke is a manifestation of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder within the health concern subtype. This presents in a myriad of ways but is defined by OCD that is predicated on obsessive fears around having a stroke and the symptoms associated with this medical condition.
It has been found in a study that stress apparently raises the risk of a Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) by 59%. A TIA is a mini-stroke caused by a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain.
Effect of Stress on Blood Vessels
But anxiety can also increase blood pressure, putting additional stress on the blood vessel walls, making them stiffer and decreasing the amount of blood that flows through the body. Combined these forces can lead to serious blood clots that can cause blockages in the heart and lungs.
A silent stroke refers to a stroke that doesn't cause any noticeable symptoms. Most strokes are caused by a clot that blocks a blood vessel in the brain. The blockage prevents blood and oxygen from reaching that area, causing nearby brain cells to die.
Some people will experience symptoms such as headache, numbness or tingling several days before they have a serious stroke. One study found that 43% of stroke patients experienced mini-stroke symptoms up to a week before they had a major stroke.
Some of the most common stroke mimics are seizures, migraine, fainting, serious infections and functional neurological disorder (FND).
Blood pressure also tends to increase when you're stressed and when blood pressure is consistently high, it can narrow or weaken blood vessels. This makes it easier for blood clots to form or for vessels to leak or burst, triggering a stroke.
It has been shown that depression effects platelets and leads to dysfunction which causes abnormalities in the clotting mechanism. There are also abnormalities in the immune and inflammation systems which could influence stroke risk..
Researchers found that, in people who developed a stroke, symptoms of depression preceded the onset of stroke and further worsened after the stroke.
Reactions to stress can affect blood pressure
The body releases a surge of hormones when under stress. These hormones cause the heart to beat faster and the blood vessels to narrow. These actions increase blood pressure for a time. There's no proof that stress by itself causes long-term high blood pressure.
There is a major effect of stress on brain activity. Sometimes individuals having stress faces high blood pressure, which ruptures the vessels and leads to brain hemorrhage. It could be considered as a type of stroke known as hemorrhagic.
One of the most common stroke mimics is a seizure, which researchers believe account for as many as 20% of all stroke mimics. Other common stroke mimics include migraines, syncope, sepsis, brain tumor and metabolic derangement (low sodium or low blood sugar).