American Heart Month is all about awareness and education. While discussions about the impact of diet and exercise on heart health have become mainstream, emerging research continues to highlight the connection between our mental and cardiovascular health. With an estimated 19% of adults in the US having an anxiety disorder, 8% of adults having major depressive episodes, and many adults reporting growing anxiety, it’s more important than ever to understand how this impacts cardiovascular health.
The Science Behind Stress and Heart Health
When we experience stress, our bodies activate the “fight-or-flight” response, releasing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. While this response is natural and sometimes beneficial in acute situations, ongoing fight-or-flight response activation can significantly impact cardiovascular health. The sustained presence of stress hormones constricts blood vessels, increases heart rate, and elevates inflammation. These physiological changes, when persistent, create a cascade of effects that can compromise heart function over time.
Many studies have linked depression, the most common mental illness, to cardiovascular disease. Depression can double or triple the risk of heart disease. In addition to the inflammatory responses, depression often leads to reduced physical activity, poor medication adherence, and social isolation – all of which impact heart health.
Anxiety disorders similarly contribute to cardiovascular strain through persistent elevation of stress hormones and increased blood pressure variability. The constant state of heightened alertness associated with anxiety creates a sustained burden on the cardiovascular system, potentially leading to long-term complications.
Holistic Approaches to Heart Health
Managing cardiovascular health requires addressing both physical and mental well-being. Healthcare providers increasingly recognize that successful treatment plans must incorporate stress management techniques alongside traditional cardiac care. Stress can fuel other lifestyle choices that further exacerbate heart health such as smoking, overeating, unhealthy eating, and not getting enough exercise. Stress and anxiety can also make quality sleep difficult, which disrupts normal cardiovascular function and recovery.
Healthcare providers recognizing the cascade of psychological and physical effects that stem from stress can recommend stress reduction techniques, such as exercise, making time for friends and family, maintaining a positive attitude with a gratitude journal, meditating, and finding relaxing hobbies. However, like all healthy lifestyle choices, it can be difficult for patients to maintain these habits.
How RPM Can Help
Remote patient monitoring enables daily blood pressure monitoring which is critical for patients with or at risk for high blood pressure. Monitoring nurses can detect subtle changes in vital sign patterns that may indicate elevated stress levels before they become serious cardiac issues. However, RPM goes far beyond vital sign monitoring.
Regular virtual check-ins and wellness calls provide opportunities for patients to discuss mental health concerns that may impact their cardiac health. These conversations often reveal underlying stressors that might be missed during brief in-person appointments. Monitoring clinicians can help patients develop healthy sleep habits and implement stress management tactics. With ongoing engagement, they can also help determine if a referral to a mental health professional makes sense to address anxiety and/or depression symptoms.
Need Help with Your RPM Program?
Your patients deserve comprehensive, proactive cardiac care that recognizes the connection between mental and physical health. Remote patient monitoring can offer exactly that, but effective holistic remote care requires dedicated monitoring clinicians. If you need help launching or supporting your RPM program with remote clinicians, Optimize can help. Contact us to see how our clinical team can support your RPM and cardiac care goals.