More heart disease among young people – that’s behind “new phenomenon”

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Crises roll over, work grows too much, private worries add to this: Stress is affecting many people more and more – and their hearts. The number of stressed heart patients has increased noticeably in recent years, said the commercial health insurance company (KKH) on Wednesday in Hanover, citing data from its own insured. The KKH is one of the largest nationwide statutory health insurance companies with around 1.6 million insured persons.

Stefan Waller reveals which foods are particularly harmful to the heart – and what alternatives there are, also as Dr. Heart known in the video above.

Between 2011 and 2021, cardiovascular diseases would have increased by around 17 percent – in connection with mental diagnoses even by around 37 percent.

According to the information, on average every tenth heart patient receives a stress diagnosis.
It is even every seventh person among employed insured persons between the ages of 25 and 64.

In total, there were around 565,000 KKH-insured persons with cardiovascular diseases in 2021, ten percent of whom also received a stress-related psychological diagnosis, for example due to an acute stress reaction or depression.

“In addition to smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, constant stress is one of the most important avoidable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases,” explained KKH doctor Sonja Hermeneit. Data from the insurance company showed that among insured persons with cardiovascular diagnoses, i.e. diseases of the heart and blood vessels such as high blood pressure, angina pectoris and cardiac arrhythmias, the proportion of patients with stress-related mental illnesses was a quarter higher than usual.

More and more young people are affected

So-called cardiovascular diseases combined with stress could affect even young patients, they are not a sign of old age, she warned.

Striking according to KKH:

Between 2019 and 2021, there was the largest increase in high blood pressure of any age group among 20- to 24-year-olds, with an increase of 11 percent. In turn, among 30 to 34 year olds, the health insurance company recorded an increase of nine percent in cardiovascular diseases in combination with stress-related psychological diagnoses – also the largest increase of all age groups.

“This is a new phenomenon,” said Kai Kahl from the Hannover Medical School.

“Chronic stress and enormous mental stress increase the risk of high blood pressure and the development of other heart diseases,” explained Hermeneit. Stress as a driver of such diagnoses must be taken seriously.

Because according to a representative Forsa survey of a good 1000 people nationwide between the ages of 18 and 70, 84 percent of those surveyed occasionally feel stressed – 43 percent often or very often. And: Half of those surveyed have the feeling that life has become more stressful in the past one to two years.

Constant stress damages the heart

Those who are stressed primarily feel unrest, nervousness or irritability. That’s what 64 percent of respondents say. 62 percent feel tired under pressure or have trouble sleeping, 59 percent describe themselves as exhausted and burned out. Stress affects many people’s souls – one in three respondents spoke of low spirits and depression. One in six suffers from stress-related anxiety, among 18 to 34 year olds even one in four. Psyche and body are also dependent on phases of relaxation, Hermeneit warned. If this is not the case, permanent stress occurs.

And that doesn’t just happen in the head, but shows itself in the heart, as Kahl explained. A fatty heart could be the result. “In the case of prolonged stress, we often adopt behaviors that are also harmful to our health,” said Hermeneit. “We often move less, eat more or eat unhealthily, drink more alcohol.”

After all, 67 percent of those surveyed exercise more to compensate. She criticized: “While too little exercise, poor nutrition, alcohol and smoking are undisputed cardiovascular risk factors, psychological stress is often not taken into account in the same way.”

Although Kahl pointed out: “Thanks to modern heart medicine, the number of deaths from severe acute heart disease is now declining.” But does it have to come to that? In the meantime, the mutual relationship between heart and soul can be well researched, explained the psychocardiologist.

“The sooner this happens, the better: If milder mental illnesses such as acute stress reactions and adjustment disorders are treated successfully before they lead to a more serious mental illness such as depression, the chances are significantly better that the heart will not be affected.” Psychocardiology is still used too rarely.

But what is so stressful?

According to the survey, every second respondent puts themselves under pressure with high demands on themselves, among the 18 to 34 year olds even around two thirds. 43 percent of those surveyed feel burdened by training or work, and 65 percent of those aged 18 to 34. However, global crises such as climate change, high inflation or the war in Ukraine (44 percent) also cause stress. And for around a third, constant accessibility via smartphone.

Kahl advised treating each other benevolently and creating a climate of resilience. And: “The best stress prevention begins with a happy childhood.”

How to reduce stress

Coach and author Attila Albert also reveals how to curb stress in a guest article on FOCUS online.

He summarizes the following six tips that may apply to your particular situation:

1. Are you exhausted? Then rest without a guilty conscience. If you feel barely able to cope with your everyday life: Rest without a guilty conscience to regain your strength. Cancel professional and private appointments wherever possible. If sport is too strenuous for you, a short walk will suffice. Get enough sleep.

2. Are you tense? Do yourself a favor. If you find yourself constantly fighting or feeling offended with others, do something that you know relaxes you. For some, it’s exercise or meditation. For others, a bit of wellness at home, a new Netflix series or an hour alone with coffee, cake and a magazine.

3. Do you feel listless? Take care of someone. You may find that you “really have no problems at all” and that you are “fine”. At the same time you feel powerless and disoriented, also bored. This is where it helps you put other people first. Take care of someone, help others.

4. Are you overworked? Give back responsibility. When you feel overwhelmed by responsibility for others, it’s time to give responsibility back. Allow yourself to think about your own needs again. It shouldn’t always be about the others. You may limit help to empower yourself. Example: Single parents don’t have to “always be there for the children”, but can also organize a free evening (e.g. with the help of neighbors).

5. Too busy? Think about the meaning of it all. Anyone who has organized their life well and leads it pragmatically and energetically often feels like a well-oiled machine: everything is running, but the work never seems to come to an end. Here it helps to find out more about the personal meaning of your own efforts.

6. Too thoughtful? Plan a new future. If you feel that your life – despite some problems – is meaningful and meaningful, this can lead to you becoming very reflective. That you look at everything and think your part, but act little. Here it helps to become more fundamental: What else would be possible for you, where could it go? Brainstorming is a good way to do this: jotting down or sketching crazy ideas, then thinking about what might be possible.

How to prevent heart disease

It is also important to reduce the risk of heart disease. This increases with age. Although nothing can be done about it, certain risk factors can be significantly influenced. According to the German Heart Foundation, the following points are part of promoting heart health:

stress reduction adequate exercise, preferably endurance sports such as hiking, cycling, jogging and swimming etc. a balanced diet with lots of fruit and vegetables as well as whole grain products and little meat avoid cigarettes avoid alcohol pay attention to blood pressure avoid or reduce overweight and abdominal fat preventive cardiological examination for the early detection of carry out cardiovascular diseases

Heart attack – you should pay attention to these alarm signals

A heart attack can occur without warning. According to the German Heart Foundation, around 50 percent of all heart attack patients have symptoms that appear 24 to 28 hours beforehand. Since every second counts in the case of a heart attack, the person affected or those present should call the emergency doctor immediately on the telephone number 112 if the following signs occur, because they are alarm signals:

Severe pain and feeling of pressure in the chest Shortness of breath without or with the slightest exertion Massive tightness in the chest Severe burning sensation in the chest Cold sweat and cold, pale skin Nausea and vomiting Pain in the upper abdomen

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