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Financial stress: a new term in cardiology
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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The results of the latest research presented at the Eighteenth Regular Congress of the South African Heart Association made it possible to single out a new term - "financial stress", which is the result of a person's pursuit of financial well-being.
Scientists have established: if the common type of stress increases the risk of developing a heart attack six times, the financial stress caused by acute dissatisfaction with the financial situation is thirteen times.
Modern people always think a lot about money. According to statistics, conducted by the American Psychological Association, more than 70% of US residents only experienced the stress associated with money last month. More than 20% noted that they have big financial problems. This figure was the highest in the last ten years.
Scientists are sounding the alarm: financial stress has a negative impact on human health, like never before.
One of the authors of the study, Professor Denis Govender, explained the essence of the project: "In many scientific works, the influence of psychological and social factors in the development of pathology has ceased to be taken into account. Scientists are studying the immunodeficiency virus and tuberculosis, but they do not take into account economic problems that lead to the death of not less than a percent of people. "
To study the effect of these factors on the development of cardiac pathology, specialists examined more than a hundred patients who had a heart attack and were hospitalized in the Johannesburg clinic. Alternatively, health indicators of ordinary people of the appropriate age and gender were also considered. All participants filled out a questionnaire, indicating information about possible experiences of depression, anxiety, fears, stress. In addition, Likert's psychometric test scale was applied.
According to the results of the study, it was found that 96% of patients who were hospitalized with a heart muscle heart attack recognized the appearance of financial problems immediately before the onset of a coronary attack. About 40% of the patients surveyed indicated a strong financial stress on the eve of a heart attack.
The scientists counted and were horrified: it turned out that a strong monetary upheaval increased the risk of developing a heart attack 13 times. And small problems with finances increase the risk of heart disease by almost six times.
In this case, a small role in the development of heart disease and blood vessels also played a depressive state, regardless of the reasons for their occurrence.
"All doctors are aware of the possible unpleasant consequences of depressive and stressful conditions. Our task is to identify such people in advance, even before they are "covered" by a heart attack. These people need to be consulted by psychologists and other specialized professionals to prevent complications, "said Professor David Yankelov, a cardiologist from the South African Republic.
The results of the work are published on the official website of the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.
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