According to a new study, the correlation with psychosocial factors was found to be independent of problems such as age, hypertension and diabetes
EINSTEIN AGENCY – Insomnia, depression, and stressful events can increase the risk of postmenopausal women developing atrial fibrillation, a type of heart arrhythmia. This is what emerges from a new study conducted by American scientists from various institutions, published in Journal of the American Heart Association.
It is estimated that around one in four women will develop this condition. According to doctors, factors such as advanced age increase the risk of developing this arrhythmia. But new research shows the influence of psychosocial aspects in these cases, a topic that is still little studied.
“Postmenopausal women represent the group most at risk of complications due to fibrillation and until now they had not been adequately studied,” says cardiologist Sofia Lagudis, of the Israelita Albert Einstein Hospital.
The authors examined data from more than 83,000 questionnaires from the Women’s Health Initiative, an American mega-study in existence since the 1990s, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. They had access to information about the volunteers’ medical history, lifestyle and sleeping habits, stress and events such as bereavement, illness and financial problems. No one had arrhythmias at the start of the project.
After a decade of follow-up, researchers observed a strong association between factors such as insomnia, depression and stressful events and the development of atrial fibrillation. This correlation was independent of known risk factors, such as age, hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, and heart valve disease.
According to Sofia Lagudis, this association is likely due to increased levels of inflammation in the body and the activation of neurohormonal pathways that lead to the release of stress hormones, causing increased activation and irritability of the heart.
Psychosocial factors
“Psychosocial factors are not yet studied as much as they should be, but this scenario should change in the coming years,” says the doctor. He recalls that they are very linked to each other: for example insomnia and sleep apnea, depression and sedentary lifestyle, depression and alcohol abuse.
«It is common for a cardiologist to come across the profile of a woman with atrial fibrillation, elderly, hypertensive, depressed. This woman generally takes less care of herself, she goes to the doctor less, she does not follow the recommended medications well. She could “I am a widow, she could have the habit of drinking alcohol at home. She needs to be identified and helped better,” she says.
Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of arrhythmia, with a high prevalence and mortality rate. It affects about 10% of older adults over the age of 80, but it can also occur in people of any age. This condition can lead to blood clots, stroke, and other cardiovascular complications. Furthermore, it is important to highlight that, in women, outcomes generally tend to be less favorable.
In addition to genetic causes, it is associated with environmental and lifestyle factors, such as obesity, smoking, physical inactivity, alcohol abuse and sleep apnea. “Fibrillation is an arrhythmia that can be largely modified by lifestyle. If we want to reduce its risk, we must improve it and, after this study, also focus more on mental health problems”, she concludes.
Source: Terra

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.