Breaking the Cycle: The Impact of Stress on Cardiovascular Disease in the UK

Authored by: Dr Matthew Lee; BMSc, MBBS, MSc

Last reviewed: May 2024

What's in this PocDoc Article:

• Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and stress in the UK 
• Signs you may be stressed
• Stress caused by not having easy access to your GP
• How stress worsens cardiovascular disease risk factors 
• Red flags to be aware of when your stress levels increase – and what to do 
• Healthy habits reduce stress levels and lower CVD risk
• What can you do to lower your stress about CVD?

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and stress in the UK   

49% of adults in the UK experience feeling stressed five or more days each month. Often overlooked is that stress is a major trigger for CVD risk factors. In the UK alone, CVD affects over 7.6 million people. A study conducted by the University College London revealed that stress resulted in a 1.5-fold excess risk of developing cardiovascular disease.     

Signs you may be stressed 

According to the Mental Health Foundation, stress is “our bodies response to pressure”, which is often triggered by new or life-threatening situations.   

Signs of stress include: 

• Feeling anxious 
• Afraid 
• Depressed 
• Angry 
• Sad 
• Irritable 

Stress caused by not having easy access to your GP

• Lack of access to medical assistance and resources for people with suspected health conditions can add unnecessary stress, which can negatively impact their physical health.

• A major source of stress in the UK is the long waitlist for GP appointments. A survey by the Office of National Statistics shows that approximately 12.5 million individuals in the UK had their mental health negatively impacted due to waiting too long for a GP or hospital appointment.

• Additionally, there is added stress associated with the uncertainty of suspecting you could be unhealthy, not being able to access simple, easy testing and not knowing how to make improvements. 

How stress worsens cardiovascular disease risk factors  

The American Heart Association revealed individuals who are unable to cope with stress are more likely to use unhealthy habits to get through it such as “smoking, overeating and increased inactivity.”  These unhealthy habits lead to the development of cardiovascular disease.

Assessing how these behaviours affect your cardiovascular health is a good starting point for knowing your overall “Health Status,” leading to better peace of mind. Universal access to health screenings, including cardiovascular screenings such as the PocDoc Healthy Heart Check, can significantly reduce stress-related ill health.  

Red flags to be aware of when your stress levels increase – and what to do 

The following are some key behaviours that may indicate that your stress levels are higher than normal, along with steps that can improve your heart health and reduce your stress levels.

Smoking

• Smoking is often used by individuals as a means of stress relief, due to the short-term effect of nicotine on the mood, according the NHS.  

• In the largest known study of stress levels in the UK by the Mental Health Foundation reported that “16% of individuals started smoking or increased their smoking habits due to stress”.  

• Smoking can lead to atherosclerosis, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Heart UK explains that smoking causes the “bad” LDL-cholesterol to become 'stickier', leading it to block arteries. It also decreases the “good” HDL-cholesterol that helps remove cholesterol from artery walls.  

Alcohol consumption 

• 29% of persons began drinking or increased their alcohol consumption due to stress.  

• Too much alcohol can result in hypertension and high cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to the British Heart Foundation.  

• When you drink alcohol, the liver processes it and makes triglycerides and cholesterol, which raises the levels in your blood.  

• The NHS recommends drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread across 3 days or more, to keep health risks from alcohol low. That's around 6 medium (175ml) glasses of wine, or 6 pints of 4% beer.  

Poor dietary choices  

• The Mental Health Foundation also reports that 46% of individuals ate too much or ate unhealthy foods due to being stressed. A poor diet directly impacts CVD development. A diet high in saturated fats, often found in unhealthy foods, will increase the risk of high cholesterol, leading to heart attacks and strokes.  

• Therefore, the British Heart Foundation recommends eating a balanced diet low in saturated fats, salt and sugar.  

• In addition to dietary improvements, regular heart screenings are also a helpful tool in reducing stress, knowing your blood cholesterol levels are in check. 

Increased Inactivity  

• During times of stress, individuals may be less motivated to engage in regular exercise or physical activity, increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease. Physical activity promotes good heart health and reduces the effects of mental stress on the body.  

• Heart UK revealed that physical activity can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol, as well as lower your blood pressure. 

Healthy habits reduce stress levels and lower CVD risk

• PocDoc believes that promoting mental well-being, healthy lifestyle changes, and creating supportive environments can significantly reduce the unhealthy habits that lead to cardiovascular disease.  

• Individual self-care, including regular health screenings, is the key to detecting and treating potential health issues. The PocDoc Healthy Heart Check provides comprehensive results for your full cholesterol profile, heart health age, and 10-year risk of developing a heart attack.  

• Regular heart health checks can increase your awareness of CVD, leading to better lifestyle choices and peace of mind by knowing your heart health status. Self-tests with PocDoc, along with stress management, will lead to breaking the cycle and preventing cardiovascular disease.  

What can you do to lower your stress about cardiovascular disease?

1. Give yourself a quick and easy Health MOT to check your cardiovascular health as quickly and efficiently as you can. This will avoid creating even more stress.

• For instance, the need to take time off work for a doctor’s appointment can add to your mental stress. However, with PocDoc's Healthy Heart Check, you can assess your cardiovascular health in just 10 minutes from the comfort of your own home. (available HERE)

2. Empower yourself by reading and interpreting your health results. Follow the evidence-based advice and actionable steps throughout this blog to control and reduce your stress levels. (Read our blog on interpreting your lipid results here)

3. Check your behaviour against the red flags listed here. Remember that these red flags are usually coping mechanisms used to help you reduce stress, but they actually make it worse and increase the risk of CVD.  

4. Access relevant clinical advice and guidance if you notice something out of character. No one knows your body as well as you do.

Download PocDoc's stress and CVD booklet here