Fatigue, increased irritability and feeling demoralized -- a combination known as vital exhaustion -- may raise the risk of first-time cardiovascular disease in otherwise healthy men and women, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2014.
Researchers examined the relationship between vital exhaustion and first-time heart disease in 11 prospective studies that involved more than 60,000 people without heart disease. The studies had an average six and half years of follow-up.
After adjusting for other factors, researchers observed a 36 percent increased risk of developing first-time cardiovascular disease from vital exhaustion.
"Vital exhaustion is a significant risk factor for incident cardiovascular disease in healthy subjects, comparable to some of the other psychological risk factors for cardiac disease," researchers said.
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Randy Cohen, M.D., cardiologist, Mt. Sinai St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, New York
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