Response to Emotional Stress May Be Linked to Some Women's Heart Artery Dysfunction

Researchers at the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute have found that emotional stressors – such as those provoking anger – may cause changes in the nervous system that controls heart rate and trigger a type of coronary artery dysfunction that occurs more frequently in women than men.

They will describe their findings at the American Psychosomatic Society's annual meeting on March 13 in San Francisco.

In men with coronary artery disease, the large arteries feeding the heart tend to become clogged by plaque, and these blockages are evident on coronary angiograms. Women, however, may have chest pain related to the heart being starved for oxygen but have no evidence of arterial obstruction.

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-03-response-emotional-stress-linked-women.html

Citation: American Psychosomatic Society, Poster presentation on March 13, at annual meeting in San Francisco.