United States: The study indicates that people with specific genetic characteristics and who suffer from anxiety or depression are at a significantly increased risk of heart attacks, particularly during socially or politically stressful times like presidential elections or even the Super Bowl.
Details of the Study
The study was made public first during its presentation held at the American College of Cardiology’s annual scientific session in April; this groundbreaking study was the first to assess stress sensitivity based on genetics as a trigger for acute coronary syndromes (ACS).
The study analyzed data from 18,428 participants in the Mass General Brigham Biobank, with 1,890 developing ACS between 2000 and 2020. Researchers evaluated participants’ stress sensitivity by calculating their neuroticism polygenic risk score (nPRS).
The researchers also observed that periods such as five days post-presidential elections and 10 days around Christmas accounted for 3.2 percent of the total observation timeline.
Study Findings
During stressful periods, 71 ACS cases were recorded, compared to 1,819 cases during control periods.
According to the study authors, “High nPRS, indicating elevated genetic susceptibility to stress, mediates ACS risk during periods of socio-political stress,” and “A multifaceted approach to [cardiovascular disease] prevention may benefit.”
He added, “So if you have both conditions, you would expect to have a substantial increase in your risk,” as Fox News reported.
Fox News reported that individuals with both conditions could expect a substantial increase in risk. Dr. Ahmed Abohashem and his team found that approximately 25 percent of ACS cases were associated with anxiety and depression.
They emphasized the importance of considering genetic predisposition in heart risk assessments and the development of targeted interventions or preventive strategies to protect vulnerable individuals from heart attacks.
Expert Opinions
According to Dr. Laxmi Mehta, an American Heart Association medical expert and cardiology director at Ohio State University, “This is an interesting study that further supports the data of the mind-heart connection.
Dr. Laxmi, who was not part of the study, added, “It highlights the importance of mental health and its impact on overall health, including the heart.”
However, Mehta took notice that the “retrospective nature” of the study “limits the ability to show a direct causal relationship between mental health conditions” like depression and anxiety.