Scientists at Linkoping University in Sweden have identified a link between an increase in the stress hormone cortisol and subsequent heart attack. Reported in an article published in Scientific Reports, the study is summarized in a press release on MedicalXpress.
Researchers analyzed hair samples 1-3 centimeters long (corresponding to 1-3 months of growth) for cortisol levels in 174 people who were admitted with myocardial infarction to cardiology clinics in south-east Sweden. As a control group, the specialists used hair samples from more than three thousand volunteers.
Those who had a heart attack had statistically higher cortisol levels in the month before hospitalization. This remained true even when considering the presence of other risk factors for cardiovascular disorders, including high blood pressure, high blood lipids, smoking, diabetes, and hereditary predisposition. However, cortisol levels were found to be a more significant predictor of seizure than traditional risk factors.
For now, researchers cannot fully explain what causes the high cortisol levels seen in study participants. Stress can be the result of both external and internal influences, such as other diseases. Moreover, biological stress does not always correspond to a person’s mental state.