If you've wondered specifically if stress can cause a stroke, too, the answer is unfortunately, yes. “There has been mounting evidence exploring stress as a risk factor for stroke — especially stress related to your job,” says neurologist Irene Katzan, MD.
Heart disease, stroke and stress
Stress can cause the heart to work harder, increase blood pressure, and increase sugar and fat levels in the blood. These things, in turn, can increase the risk of clots forming and travelling to the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke.
A multinational study has found that people with depression symptoms are more likely to experience a stroke, and their recovery from stroke is often more difficult. In this study, people with symptoms of depression had a 46% increased stroke risk compared with those without such symptoms.
Study participants who reported the highest stress levels were 33% more likely to have a stroke than those who felt less anxious or stressed. The greater the anxiety level, the higher the stroke risk, but even modest increases raised stroke risk.
According to research that appeared in Stroke, an American Heart Association journal, middle-aged and older individuals with high levels of stress, depression, and hostility were subject to a significantly higher risk of stroke or TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack, commonly known as “mini-stroke”).
Pseudobulbar Affect, also called “emotional lability,” “reflex crying” or “labile mood,” can cause: Rapid mood changes — a person may “spill over into tears” for no obvious reason and then quickly stop crying or start laughing. Crying or laughing that doesn't match a person's mood.
A person's life expectancy after a mini stroke reduces by around 4% in the first year following the attack in comparison to people who have not had one. In the following 9 years, life expectancy reduces by 20%. These statistics come from a 2019 review .
Mounting evidence suggests depression is associated with increased risk of hypertension and diabetes, probably through increased adrenergic activity and poor health behaviors. It is therefore possible that depression increases stroke risk through the development of hypertension or diabetes or both.
Stroke impacts the brain, and the brain controls our behavior and emotions. You or your loved one may experience feelings of irritability, forgetfulness, carelessness or confusion. Feelings of anger, anxiety or depression are also common.
Those people younger than 40 with a mental disorder were 58% more likely to have a heart attack and 42% more likely to have a stroke than those with no disorder, the study found.
A silent stroke refers to a stroke that doesn't cause any noticeable symptoms. Most strokes are caused by a clot that blocks a blood vessel in the brain. The blockage prevents blood and oxygen from reaching that area, causing nearby brain cells to die.
What is Pre-Stroke? Sometimes, there is a smaller, temporary clot that is quickly resolved, though the symptoms will be similar thanks to the effect such clots have on the brain. This is known as a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or “Pre-Stroke,” and often points to a more life-threatening attack on its way.
Some of the most common stroke mimics are seizures, migraine, fainting, serious infections and functional neurological disorder (FND).
Some people will experience symptoms such as headache, numbness or tingling several days before they have a serious stroke. One study found that 43% of stroke patients experienced mini-stroke symptoms up to a week before they had a major stroke.
Common physical conditions after a stroke include: Weakness, paralysis, and problems with balance or coordination. Pain, numbness, or burning and tingling sensations. Fatigue, which may continue after you return home.
Strokes can cause weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, and can result in problems with co-ordination and balance. Many people also experience extreme tiredness (fatigue) in the first few weeks after a stroke, and may also have difficulty sleeping, making them even more tired.
But the symptoms of anxiety are very real, and many of them resemble a stroke-like experience, for example: Difficulty thinking or formulating thoughts. Feeling like limbs or muscles cannot move. Blurry vision or dizziness.
High blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke and is the main cause for increased risk of stroke among people with diabetes.
Even after surviving a stroke, you're not out of the woods, since having one makes it a lot more likely that you'll have another. In fact, of the 795,000 Americans who will have a first stroke this year, 23 percent will suffer a second stroke.