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Men and
women are more likely to suffer a sudden heart attack for
different reasons. For women, the common trigger is stress.
For men, it's physical exertion.
University
of Minnesota/Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation reported
these findings April 24 at an American Heart Association forum
in Honolulu. They studied 122 men and women who had suffered
out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
Participants
filled out a questionnaire that included detailed information
about activities prior to their sudden cardiac arrests. They
were also asked about psychological factors such as whether
they had experienced a divorce, death of a loved one, family
conflicts or other significant life events.
Women
were more likely to report that they had experienced one or
more psychologically stressful events rather than physical
exertion prior to cardiac arrest. Of the 20 women in the study,
40 percent said they experienced psychological stressors and
only 5 percent reported physical exertion. Forty percent of
the men reported physical stress and 16 percent reported emotional
stress before their cardiac arrest.
"Sudden
cardiac arrest is a huge public health burden, and we still
don't completely understand all inciting events. This study
suggests that emotional triggers may be important in some
cases," said Dr. Norman Ratliff, a cardiology fellow
at the foundation and lead author of the study.
Ratliff
said physical exertion might cause an increased level of adrenaline
for men, while emotional stress may cause the same rise in
women. Adrenaline is a stress hormone that can cause rapid
heart beats.
Source:
Heart
Disease Week of April 28, 2002
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