Exhaustion Linked To Greater Heart Attack Risk in Men

Researchers find that the risk of myocardial infarction was linked to exhaustion, i.e., men who experience vital exhaustion have a higher likelihood of having a heart attack. This risk was more pronounced in never married, divorced, and widowed men. // Vital exhaustion refers to excessive fatigue, feelings of demoralization, and increased irritability. Dr. Dmitriy Panov, study author, states, “It is thought to be a response to intractable problems in people's lives, particularly when they are unable to adapt to prolonged exposure to psychological stressors.”

The study examined 657 men aged 25 to 64 with no history of cardiovascular disease from the WHO MONICA Project of 1994. Vital exhaustion symptoms were measured at baseline with the Maastricht Vital Exhaustion Questionnaire. Participants were then classified based on their level of vital exhaustion - none, moderate, or high - and were followed-up for 14 years.

Findings revealed that 67% of the men had vital exhaustion (15% - high level; 52% - moderate level), and 33% were unaffected. Nearly 74% of men with high blood pressure had vital exhaustion (58% - high level; 16% - moderate). Men with high or moderate levels of vital exhaustion had nearly 3 times greater risk of a heart attack within five years, 2.25 times higher risk within 10 years, and 2.1 times higher risk within 14 years.

Even though the influence of vital exhaustion on heart attack risk decreased after adjusting for social factors and age, it was still substantially higher compared to those without vital exhaustion. For instance, men with moderate or high levels were 16% more likely to have a heart attack over 14 years of follow-up than those without exhaustion.

Never married, divorced, and widowed men had an elevated risk of a heart attack related to exhaustion than married men. The risk for men with a university degree was 2.2 times lesser than those with elementary school education. Middle-aged men were more affected than younger men (24-23), with the risk being 3.8 times higher in 45-54-year-olds and 5.9 times higher in 55-64-year-olds.

Dr. Panov said, “Living alone indicates less social support, which we know from our prior studies is an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction and stroke.”

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He concludes, “Efforts to improve well-being and reduce stress at home and work can help reduce vital exhaustion. Involvement in community groups is one way to increase social support and become less vulnerable to stress. Together with a healthy lifestyle, these measures should be beneficial for heart health.”

Dr. Panov urges more focus on mitigating the factors that contribute to excessive exhaustion because of its potentially deadly risk of a heart attack.

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Source-Medindia