In the context of a growing debate about mental health, the cardiologist Mario Boskis warned about the consequences of chronic stress and its direct impact on the body. “Everything that begins in the mind comes down to the body”he stated, explaining how emotional processes end up generating specific physical effects.

During an interview at LN+the specialist maintained that stress stopped being an exclusively psychological problem and became a cardiovascular risk factor of first order. According to him, recent studies show that it can almost double the probability of suffering a heart attack.

How stress affects the body

The doctor explained that stress activates specific biological mechanisms. In acute situations, the body responds with the release of adrenaline and norepinephrinewhich speeds up the heart rate and prepares the body to react to a threat.

But the problem appears when that state becomes sustained over time. “Chronic stress activates the release of cortisol”he detailed.

This process has multiple negative effects: raises blood pressure, increases blood sugar, promotes weight gain and damages blood vessels. “It attacks the endothelium, the internal part of the arteries, generates inflammation and can lead to blockages,” he explained.

Symptoms and warning signs

According to Boskis, chronic stress can manifest itself in different ways, even in young people. Among the most frequent symptoms he mentioned palpitations, sleep disturbances, persistent headaches and changes in daily habits.

He also warned about the difficulty of detecting it: “Self-perception is very difficult. Many times it is identified first by a family member or doctor”.

In some cases, it can even be confused with more acute symptoms such as panic attacks. “The patient feels pain in the chest, he thinks he is dying.”. That’s why you always have to consult to rule out a real heart problem,” he said.

A widespread problem

Boskis pointed out that the magnitude of the phenomenon is significant, even at the local level. “Argentina has almost 49% of adults who perceive themselves as stressed. “It is number one in the world,” he explained, based on recent data.

However, he warned that not all people who are considered stressed present the same level of risk. “What we have to determine is which of those who are stressed really have a cardiovascular effect”he remarked.

A risk comparable to other factors

Boskis also referred to the dangerousness of stress compared to other traditional factors. As he explained, its impact can be as relevant as high cholesterol or hypertension.

He even mentioned a striking fact: there is a higher incidence of heart attacks on Monday or Sunday nights, which is linked to the so-called psychosocial stress associated with the beginning of the work week.

“Chronic stress is like a boxer who hits little by little. Until at one point the body can’t resist any more.”he concluded.