Stress is experienced at multiple levels by different individuals. In o

Cardiovascular disease, including coronary artery disease (CAD), is responsible for almost half of all deaths in the United States each year (American Heart Association, 1998). According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 1999), up to 40% of all deaths worldwide will be related to cardiovascular diseases/heart disease by 2020. The first sign of disease generally appears in the middle to late adulthood. It often strikes without warning and with devastating effects. The first signs of heart disease include myocardial infarction (MI) and sudden death (Lerner and Kannel, 1986). Studies have shown that intense emotion associated with catastrophic events can trigger cardiac events. For example, Leor et al. (1996) investigated the incidence of cardiovascular deaths around the time of the Los Angeles earthquake in January of 1994. These researchers watched the daily mortality rate from cardiovascular deaths rise from 4.2±2.1 the week before to 24 on the day of the earthquake. In contrast to extreme emotional stress and the acute cardiac events that result, there is compelling evidence from controlled studies that have found that everyday stressors have potentially damaging health consequences as well. Psychological and behavioral factors such as social isolation, anxiety, job stress, depression and

Type A individuals causes vessels in the outer areas of the heart to constrict, while at the same time having an increased heart rate. In essence, the Type A individual is trying to pump more and more blood through vessels that are shrinking. “This kind of negative process puts wear and tear on coronary arteries and in turn produces atherosclerotic lesions. Exaggerated cardiovascular responses may be the means through which hostile behavior and style of anger expression are linked with coronary heart disease” (Selye, 1978). This brings to light a very important question. What role does stress play in the formation of cardiovascular disorders?

During times of stress, the nervous system releases extra hormones (most often adrenaline). These hormones raise blood pressure, which can injure the lining of the arteries. When the arteries heal, the walls may harden or thicken, making it eas

Some topics in this essay:
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