A Clinical Pathologist, Dr. Olawale Olusanya, says a prolonged period of mental health issues, caused by stress and anxiety, can impact negatively the heart’s health.
Olusanya, Centre Manager, Bola Tinubu Health and Diagnostic Centre, said this in a statement issued on Monday in Lagos.
He said that mental health issues caused by political anxiety in the past months and the socio-economic condition in the country were some of the factors that could increase heart rate, levels of cortisol, and risk of heart-related diseases.
According to him, people who suffer from arrhythmia (irregular heart rate) are more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and stress compared with those without arrhythmia.
By definition, arrhythmia, a heart rhythm abnormality, causes the heart to beat too slowly at less than 60 beats per minute or too quickly at more than 100 beats per minute or record uncoordinated contractions.
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Olusanya said that people with arrhythmia risked cardiovascular incidences, such as heart attack and stroke, while they might also have a greater risk of mortality.
He said that studies had shown that symptoms of anxiety and intense stress or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) might also be independently associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
”People handle stress in different ways. While some people are able to handle stress by making healthy lifestyle choices, others develop habits that are detrimental to their overall health.
”Smoking, excessive alcohol intake, binge eating, and lack of exercise are some of the lifestyle choices that can lead to the deterioration of heart health.
”To effectively manage stress-related mental health issues, a cardiac event monitoring device, such as Bittium Faros, can be used to periodically detect physical activities that trigger stress in the body.
”This lightweight device provides clinical accuracy and ease in checking heartbeat and other heart-related parameters for 24 hours or more.
”Due to the portability of bittium faros and its high level of accuracy, it empowers people with the ability to take charge of their heart health on the go,” Olusanya said.
According to him, a mini-cardiac monitor allows patients to get tested on-demand for long periods without having to contend with long waiting periods in hospitals.
Olusanya said that regular cardiac monitoring could prevent sudden complications and enable quick intervention and management.
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