Ask anyone what the last two years have been like amid the global pandemic, economic slowdowns and the soaring cost of living and they will probably say “stressful”. Stress doesn’t just affect our emotional wellbeing; it can have a disastrous effect on our physical health too.
“Stress can double your risk of a heart attack by increasing blood pressure to harmful levels. I don’t think that many persons are aware of this,” says consultant cardiologist Dr Georgette Meade.
“What makes things even worse is that when we’re stressed and depressed we don’t tend to eat in a healthy way; we choose high fat and high sugar foods even though we know they are harmful. “Then there’s increased alcohol consumption, smoking and not resting well. It’s vital that we know how to manage our stress,” she explains.
“Stress in itself causes an elevation in blood pressure and also the heart rate – none of which is beneficial for the heart,” she explains.
“An elevated heart rate for a persistent period can lead to cardiac dysfunction. It reduces the strength of contraction of the heart muscle which is dangerous as it can progress to heart failure. “Elevated blood pressure can also cause an enlargement in the heart muscle and increase pressure within the heart itself which can then lead to heart failure,” Dr Meade warns.
Exacerbating the situation, she says, is that patients diagnosed with high blood pressure – also known as hypertension – are often in denial that they have the condition. “Once diagnosed, some people don’t want to accept they’re hypertensive and so it allows the blood pressure to be elevated uncontrolled. That can lead to heart failure, heart attacks and also affect the kidneys and brain leading to stroke,” she explains.
Identifying that one is stressed is the first step, says Dr Meade.
Symptoms of stress and anxiety include palpitations or a feeling that one’s heart is racing, difficulty sleeping and concentrating, headaches, and a reluctance to socialise and take part in activities one used to enjoy, Dr Meade says. “We need to remove that stigma, so people feel comfortable reaching out and asking for help,” she notes.
“Yoga and meditation are great stress relievers. In Antigua and Barbuda, we are blessed with beautiful beaches and sunshine. Getting out in the fresh air, cycling, swimming, are all things that can help us relax.”