KLAS-TV Channel 8 News Las VegasNew Study: Chronic Stress Pushes Heart Disease Up By 68-Percent

New Study: Chronic Stress Pushes Heart Disease Up By 68-Percent

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New research out of England suggests that chronic stress pushes heart disease up by 68-percent. And as Eye on Health reports, when stress is combined with other risk factors, there could be a powder keg reaction.

Felix Rodriguez was clocking in at work one day, probably bracing for the stress ahead, when he suddenly felt dizzy and was on the verge of blacking out. Rodriguez was rushed to the hospital where he underwent an emergency triple-bypass.

"I feel like God gave me another chance," said Rodriguez. He believes that job-related stress played a big part in the event.

"The stress is definitely something that is a killer, a silent killer, I can say," said Rodriguez.

Physical therapist Dave Morgan rehabilitates cardiac patients. He helps them work to repair damage caused at least in part by too much stress.

"A lot of patients, once they have an experience like this happen to them, they reevaluate their life and they reevaluate what's most important to them and what kind of stresses they can leave out. These are definitely life-changing events that promote change in people," said Morgan.

Las Vegas cardiologist Keith Boman says stress is a part of daily living, but some handle it better than others. He says scientists have not found a direct link between stress and heart disease but it does appear that stress usually leads to other risky habits.

"Those that let stress run their life instead of the other way around, do tend to have more hypertension, and they do tend to have more cardiac arrhythmia and they do tend, to a certain extent, to correlate that with heavier eating, poor eating and to a certain extent, diabetes and cigarette smoking," said Dr. Boman. 

Boman suggests a healthy diet can help protect you from some of the effects of stress. And Dave Morgan tells heart patients to find a healthy hobby, something they enjoy, that will distract them from their stress.

Co-incidentally, Felix Rodriguez was the first person to have surgery in Spring Valley Hospital's new open heart unit.

For more information about stress, heart disease, and relaxation techniques, click here.