文摘
Psychological stress elicits measurable changes in sympathetic-parasympathetic balance and the tone of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which might negatively affect the cardiovascular system both acutely—by precipitating myocardial infarction, left-ventricular dysfunction, or dysrhythmia; and chronically—by accelerating the atherosclerotic process. We provide an overview of the association between stress and cardiovascular morbidity, discuss the mechanisms for this association, and address possible therapeutic implications.