Stress and Cardiovascular Disease

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Although gross medical advancements have allowed the human population to live longer and fuller lives without the threat of death from infectious diseases, it is apparent that we are now dealing with a different phenomenon that may be just as harmful to our health. The impact of psychological, social and environmental factors from our daily lives is having a drastic impression on the mental and physical wellbeing of our society. It has been shown in various studies that psychological and neurological factors influence the immune system and can have an effect on our health (Breedlove, Rosenzweig & Watson, 2010). As we allow various stressors, poisonous substances, unhealthy diets and lack of rest to overwhelm our existence, we are inevitably shortening our life span and killing our bodies. The Disease Process of Coronary Heart Disease Today, cardiovascular disease is “the number one killer in the United States and the developed world” (Sapolsky, 2004, p. 41). Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common form of cardiovascular disease, and is responsible for claiming an unreasonable amount of lives every year. CHD can begin to accumulate in young adults, but is prominently found in both men and women in their later adult lives. As a result of CHD, men typically experience heart attacks, whereas women present with chest pains, known as angina (Matthews, 2005). CHD is primarily due to atherosclerosis, which is the blockage of blood flow in the arteries due to the accumulation of fats, cholesterol, calcium and other substances found in the blood. Atherosclerosis takes place over many years, but when the blood flow becomes so limited due to the build up of plaque in the arteries, there becomes a serious problem. “When... ... middle of paper ... ...itive, and clinical neuroscience. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates, Inc. Burell, G., & Granlund, B. (2002). Women's hearts need special treatment. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 9(3), 228-242. Claar, R. L., & Blumenthal J. A. (2003). The value of stress-management interventions in life- threatening medical conditions. Current Directions in Psychological Science (Wiley- Blackwell), 12(4), 133. doi:10.1111/1467-8721.01248 Denollet, J. (1997). Personality, emotional distress and coronary heart disease. European Journal of Personality, 11(5), 343-357. Matthews, K. A. (2005). Psychological Perspectives on the Development of Coronary Heart Disease. The American Psychologist. 11(8), 783-796. Sapolsky, R. M. (2004). Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: The acclaimed guide to stress, stress- related diseases, and coping. New York, NY: Holt Paperbacks.

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