Acute Coronary Syndrome and Stress: Is There a Relationship?

• Autor(a) principal: Santos, H
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Santos, M, Paula, S, Figueiredo, M, Almeida, I, Miranda, H, Chin, J, Sá, C, Neto, M, Almeida, S, Sousa, C, Almeida, L
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.17/4440
• topic: HSM CAR; Humans; Female; Male; Acute Coronary Syndrome* / complications; Heart; Prognosis; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction* / complications

Introduction: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is the result of a complex pathophysiological process with various dynamic factors. The 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) is a validated instrument for estimating stress levels in clinical practice and may be useful in the assessment of ACS. Methods: We carried out a single-center prospective study engaging patients hospitalized with ACS between March 20, 2019 and March 3, 2020. The PSS-10 was completed during the hospitalization period. The ACS group was compared to a control group (the general Portuguese population), and a subanalysis in the stress group were then performed. Results: A total of 171 patients with ACS were included, of whom 36.5% presented ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), 38.1% were female and the mean PSS score was 19.5±7.1. Females in the control group scored 16.6±6.3 on the PSS-10 and control males scored 13.4±6.5. The female population with ACS scored 22.8±9.8 on the PSS-10 (p<0.001). Similarly, ACS males scored a mean of 17.4±6.4 (p<0.001). Pathological stress levels were not a predictor of major adverse cardiovascular events or severity at admission. Conclusions: ACS patients had higher perceived stress levels compared to the control group. Perceived stress level was not associated with worse prognosis in ACS patients.