How Stress Affects your Heart and Ways to Reduce it

In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become a silent companion in many people’s lives. Whether due to work pressures, personal struggles, or health anxieties, chronic stress can have significant consequences—especially for your heart. As the best cardiologist in Vizag, Dr. Ganesh Kasinadhuni has seen first hand how unmanaged stress contributes to serious cardiovascular conditions. Understanding how stress affects your heart and discovering ways to reduce it can literally be life-saving.

How Does Stress Affect your Heart?

Stress triggers the body’s natural “fight or flight” response, which increases adrenaline and cortisol levels. While this response is helpful in emergencies, Prolonged activation caused by chronic stress can significantly damage your cardiovascular system.

Here’s how stress negatively impacts heart health:

1. Increased Heart Rate and Blood Pressure

When stressed, your heart beats faster, and your blood vessels constrict, raising blood pressure. Over time, this can damage artery walls and lead to hypertension—a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.

2. Inflammation and Artery Damage

Chronic stress promotes inflammation in the body, which may accelerate the development of atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in arteries). This condition can lead to heart attacks, often requiring emergency stenting as a life-saving intervention.

3. Disruption of Healthy Habits

Stress often leads to unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, overeating, alcohol abuse, and physical inactivity. All of these contribute to poor heart health.

4. Increased Risk of Heart Failure

Ongoing stress strains the heart muscles, potentially leading to heart failure, especially in individuals with existing heart conditions or comorbidities.

Stress and Cardiac Procedures: The Clinical Connection

Stress doesn’t just cause discomfort; it increases the likelihood of needing advanced cardiac treatments.

• Heart attacks and stenting: High stress levels can rupture of coronary plaques, leading to acute heart attacks that may require emergency angioplasty and stenting.

• Complex stenting and OCT/IVUS imaging: In patients with advanced blockages due to long-term stress and cholesterol buildup, complex stenting guided by OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) or IVUS (Intravascular Ultrasound) ensures precise and safe outcomes.

• Rotablation, orbital atherectomy, and IVL: These are advanced techniques used to open heavily calcified arteries in patients whose conditions worsen due to lifestyle factors linked to chronic stress.

• Carotid, renal, and peripheral stenting: Prolonged stress-related vascular damage can affect not just the heart but arteries leading to the brain (carotid), kidneys (renal), and limbs (peripheral). Interventions like carotid, renal, and peripheral stenting may be required.

• Aortic aneurysm and aortic stent (TEVAR/EVAR): Severe, untreated stress can also contribute to vascular conditions like aortic aneurysms. These are managed using minimally invasive techniques such as TEVAR (Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair) and EVAR (Endovascular Aneurysm Repair).

Ways to Reduce Stress and Protect your Heart

Thankfully, managing stress is entirely possible—and doing so can drastically reduce the risk of heart disease. Here are some practical strategies recommended by Dr. Ganesh Kasinadhuni, renowned for treating everything from complex stenting to aortic aneurysms in Vizag:

1. Practice Mindfulness and Meditation

Meditation helps calm your mind and reduces the production of stress hormones. Even 10 minutes of deep breathing or mindfulness exercises each day can bring noticeable improvements.

2. Stay Physically Active

Regular exercise lowers cortisol levels, improves mood, and strengthens your heart. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, such as brisk walking, five days a week.

3. Sleep Well

Poor sleep increases the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Maintain a sleep routine and ensure 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night.

4. Eat a Heart-Healthy Diet

Stress eating can lead to obesity and high cholesterol. Instead, choose a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains. Limit salt, sugar, and processed foods.

5. Connect with Others

Social interaction helps reduce stress. Talk to friends or loved ones regularly, or join a support group if you’re dealing with anxiety or emotional challenges.

6. Limit Caffeine and Alcohol

These can increase anxiety and disrupt sleep. Consume in moderation, and avoid using them as stress coping mechanisms.

7. Seek Professional Help

If stress becomes overwhelming, don’t hesitate to consult a mental health professional. Managing emotional well-being is just as important as managing physical health.

Why Choose Dr. Ganesh Kasinadhuni for your Heart Health?

With years of experience in interventional cardiology, Dr. Ganesh Kasinadhuni is the best cardiologist in Vizag, specializing in both routine and complex cardiovascular procedures. His expertise spans:

• Complex stenting with OCT/IVUS imaging

• Rotablation, orbital atherectomy, and IVL for challenging calcified blockages

• Heart failure management using advanced medications and devices

• Carotid, renal, and peripheral stenting for vascular conditions

• Aortic stent procedures like TEVAR and EVAR for aneurysm repair

Whether you need a preventive consultation or advanced cardiac intervention, Dr. Kasinadhuni offers patient-centric care with cutting-edge technology.

Conclusion

Stress is unavoidable—but its impact on your heart doesn't have to be. By adopting stress-reducing habits and seeking professional help when needed, you can take charge of your heart health. If you’re experiencing chest discomfort, breathlessness, or simply want to take a proactive step toward a healthy heart, consult Dr. Ganesh Kasinadhuni, best cardiologist in Vizag.