There are undeniable links between 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.
According to the study authors, anger or emotional upset was linked to an approximately 30% higher risk of having a stroke within one hour of experiencing those emotions. Another potential stroke trigger revealed by the study was heavy physical exertion, although the evidence was less convincing.
One stressed out day won't necessarily affect your stroke risk, but unmanaged chronic stress may. In fact, chronic stress and anxiety, in addition to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes, are key factors that affect stroke risk.
In another study, higher levels of stress and depressive symptoms were linked to increased risk of what's called “incident stroke” or TIA (transient ischemic attacks) in middle-aged and older adults.
Some people will experience symptoms such as headache, numbness or tingling several days before they have a serious stroke.
A pre-stroke is another name for a transient ischemic attack (TIA, and also called a mini stroke), which is a temporary loss of blood flow or low oxygen to an area of the brain that can cause stroke symptoms. Unlike a stroke, a pre-stroke does not damage brain cells or cause permanent damage.
Every year, an estimated 8 to 10 million Americans suffer a stroke and don't even know it. Referred to as “silent strokes,” this type of stroke causes no obvious symptoms when they occur but over time can lead to memory loss and cognitive decline.
High blood pressure is a leading cause of stroke. It occurs when the pressure of the blood in your arteries and other blood vessels is too high.
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”).
Indeed, stress symptoms can affect your body, your thoughts and feelings, and your behavior. Being able to recognize common stress symptoms can help you manage them. Stress that's left unchecked can contribute to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
Effect of Stress on Blood Vessels
Research has shown that extended periods of anxiety can increase coagulation, which decreases the normal circulation of blood through the body and raises the risk of developing blot clots.
Sudden reactions to startling events could trigger stroke through effects on blood circulation or an excessive response by the sympathetic nervous system, which regulates body functions such as heart rate or blood pressure.
Inflammation can come from increased cortisol—a stress hormone—that changes when you're sleep-deprived. The inflammation raises your risk for arterial hypertension, heart disease and stroke. Meager sleep also increases heart rate and blood pressure, putting you at even higher risk for stroke.
Another study , in 2020, found that people who experienced symptoms of depression were more likely to go on to develop heart disease or have a stroke. Although the association was modest, it was present even in people whose symptoms were below the level of a depressive disorder.
Viscous blood causes the body to retain sodium and increases blood pressure. Drinking enough water regularly prevents dehydration. This may play a role in keeping the blood less viscous, which in turn prevents a stroke.
Men and women who have strokes often experience a similar set of symptoms that can be remembered using the mnemonic F.A.S.T.: face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty, time to call 911. Other signs include problems seeing out of one or both eyes and balance or coordination problems.
Signs of a mild stroke include:
Blurred vision. Difficulty speaking. Weakness or numbness on one side of the body.
Some people have strokes without realizing it. They're called silent strokes, and they either have no easy-to-recognize symptoms, or you don't remember them. But they do cause permanent damage in your brain. If you've had more than one silent stroke, you may have thinking and memory problems.
Healthcare providers can get a computed tomography (CT) scan in only a few minutes. It helps them to quickly see if you're having a brain bleed or not and, if so, provide treatment immediately. An MRI scan helps your care team tell if you had a stroke or a TIA.
In general, most experts consider a young stroke age to be under 45. Even though the overall rate of stroke is decreasing, especially in people over age 65, it's actually increasing among young and middle-aged people.
While daily aspirin can help prevent a clot-related stroke, it may increase the risk of a bleeding stroke. A bleeding stroke also is called a hemorrhagic stroke. Gastrointestinal bleeding. Daily aspirin use increases the risk of developing a stomach ulcer.
3-7 Conditions that mimic stroke include metabolic disorders such as hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, hypernatremia, hyponatremia, uremia, metabolic encephalopathy, and hyperthyroidism. 4,6,7,8 Moreover, migraine, seizure, psychological disorders, demyelinating diseases, and brain tumors may also mimic stroke.