Mental Health

Tiredness, Annoyance and Gloom Boosts Heart Disease

By Christine Hsu | Update Date: Nov 18, 2014 05:37 PM EST

Feeling tired, annoyed or downtrodden can increase the risk of heart condition by 36 percent, according to a new study.

Researcher from the Mount Sinai St. Luke's and Mount Sinai Roosevelt hospitals found that the experiencing vital exhaustion, the medical term of feeling the combination of fatigue, irritability and demoralization, were significantly more likely to suffer first-time cardiovascular disease compared to people not experiencing vital exhaustion.

"Our study shows vital exhaustion is an important risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease in otherwise healthy people," lead author Randy Cohen, MD, Medical Director of the University Medical Practice Associates at Mount Sinai St. Luke's and Mount Sinai Roosevelt, said in a news release. "Loss of vitality thus adds to a growing number of psychosocial risk factors that have now been linked to the development of cardiovascular disease, including anxiety, depression, and social isolation."

The latest research involved data from 11 prospective studies that involved 60,610 people without heart disease.  Researchers noted that the studies lasted 6.5 years on average.

"The identification of vital exhaustion as a coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factor appears timely," co-author Dr. Alan Rozanski, Chief of the Division of Cardiology at Mount Sinai St. Luke's and Mount Sinai Roosevelt, said in a statement. "As society becomes increasingly fast paced, there is an increasing tendency for people to overwork while cutting back on sleep, exercise, and the rest and relaxation we all need to renew ourselves and prevent the factors that cause vital exhaustion."

The findings were presented Nov. 17 at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2014 in Chicago.

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