Guadalajara (Mexico), .- Stress should be considered a risk factor for heart disease, almost with the same importance as obesity or overweight because it triggers the same chemical process in the body, said specialists.
During the International Cardiovascular Protection Symposium taking place in Guadalajara (western Mexico), cardiologist Carlos Xerxes told Efe that although stress by itself does not cause a heart attack or coronary problem, it does not contribute to the blockage of the arteries , yes it is a trigger for these problems to occur.
“That stress is not going to be the main factor, but naturally when it goes off it will produce alterations or activities of the central nervous system,” said the director of the Institute of Cardiology and Vascular Medicine of the TecSalud program at the Technological University of Monterrey.
The specialist explained that stress triggers in the nervous system the same preinflammatory cytokines that influence obesity and trigger smoking, “then it is added as a very important factor.”
He added that cytokines are proteins that can generate inflammation that is directed to the blood vessels of the endothelium, which is the layer that lines the inside of the heart, and affect the functioning of this organ.
The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that eight out of ten first heart infarcts or cerebral vascular events are preventable.
However, the lack of prevention strategies contributes to the increase in the death rate due to cardiac events that annually takes the lives of 17 million people in the world and it is estimated that by 2030 the figure will rise to 23.6 million.
The specialist explained that this stress can be caused not only by the problems of daily life but also among those suffering from anxiety and depression, elements that are enhanced when there are factors such as overweight, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, high blood pressure or obesity.
Javier Antezana, interventional clinical cardiologist at the Cardiology Hospital of the National Medical Center, said there is a higher incidence of heart attacks among young people due to the intake of drugs such as cocaine, but it is complicated to have a statistic, since the patient denies having consumed them.
“Many of the patients are taken to catheterization early and these young patients see that they may not have obstructive lesions,” he said.
The International Symposium on Cardiovascular Protection, organized by the pharmaceutical company Bayer, is attended by doctors who debate about primary and secondary prevention therapies as well as the advantages and adverse effects of applying certain treatments. (EFE)
