Past studies have suggested that mental stress can influence heart health. Now, researchers have found that women under mental stress are more likely than men to experience reduced blood flow to the heart and are also more prone to clots due to platelet aggregation. On the other hand, men experience greater changes in blood pressure and heart rate in response to mental stress. Researcher Dr. Zainab Samad adds, “The relationship between mental stress and cardiovascular disease is well-known. This study revealed that mental stress affects the cardiovascular health of men and women differently. We need to recognize this difference when evaluating and treating patients for cardiovascular disease.”
Journal of the American College of Cardiology, October 2014