Heart attack risk: how stress threatens the heart

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MunichChronic stress can contribute to a heart attack or stroke - that much is known. But the exact causes for this have so far been in the dark.

Certain white blood cells play a key role, according to a research team led by Dr. Timo Heidt from the Freiburg University Hospital found out in experiments with mice. Under stress, the autonomic nervous system apparently activates the blood-forming stem cells in the bone marrow. These then increasingly produce two subgroups of white blood cells, so-called neutrophils and monocytes. These are increasingly deposited in the walls of the blood vessels. The deposits (plaques) on the inner walls of the vessels, which are typical of arteriosclerosis, become more fragile due to the invasion of the immune cells. If parts of it eventually become detached, they can clog a blood vessel and cause a heart attack or stroke.

Inhibited production

With the help of a ß3 receptor blocker, the scientists succeeded in preventing this problematic process. The active ingredient inhibited the formation of inflammatory cells so that they did not get into the blood in large quantities even under stress. This also made the plaques inside the vessels more stable. In the future, such a drug could reduce the risk of heart attacks even in stressed people, the scientists hope.

More stress, more immune cells

Because even in people who are under great pressure, the number of white blood cells in the blood increases, confirms a further study by the research team. To this end, the scientists recruited 29 doctors who worked in an intensive care unit. The high workload, shift work and, above all, the need to make important decisions in a short period of time lead to a high level of stress for them. In fact, the doctors who said they were particularly stressed also had particularly high levels of inflammatory cells in their blood. (cf)

Source: Timo Heidt: Chronic variable stress activates hematopoietic stem cells. Nature Medicine, Nature Medicine, doi: 10.1038 / nm.3589

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