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Georges Chartrand didn't think he was having a heart attack while driving into work. He had started sweating profusely and had a funny line of pain that ran from the top of one shoulder across to the other — not the typical signs a man expects when he thinks heart attack! Georges chalked his feelings up to general exhaustion and possibly the onset of a cold or flu. After a short time at work, he decided to call in a replacement.
On his way home, Georges decided to go to the hospital. His father had died from a heart attack just six months earlier. He had felt ill, laid down and later died in his sleep. Don't be a jerk, Georges told himself, go to the hospital and get checked.
When he arrived at the emergency room of the Grey Nuns Hospital in Edmonton, Georges learned that he had indeed experienced a heart attack. Further testing revealed that some of his heart arteries were very clogged with plaque and that he would require bypass surgery.
The road to heart disease
Several factors put Georges at risk for a heart attack, and stress was definitely one of them.
Let's take a closer look at the stresses in Georges' life:
- He worked long hours in the broadcasting industry, often only taking breaks to have a smoke.
- He was faced with many deadlines, and was never out of reach of his busy cell phone.
- At home, he and his wife eagerly chauffeured their two active teenage boys to and from sporting events.
- While grieving the recent death of his father, Georges had acted as executor of the will, a lengthy and arduous task.
What's your speed limit? Know your optimal stress level
Georges wasn't functioning at his optimal stress level and it was affecting his heart. "Stress is a normal part of our lives," says Dr. William Dafoe, Regional Director of Cardiac Rehab at the University of Alberta Hospital. Heart health is dependent on the kinds and levels of stress experienced. Every man's optimal stress level is different. "When our internal stress-meter is edging up, we need to think about what can be managed to get back to an optimum stress level," says Dr. Dafoe.
"If overwhelming stress is coming from home, the workplace or another area of your life, it has to be addressed," advises Dr. Dafoe. "Problem solve with your family, work, physician or healthcare counselor to alleviate, or remove that stress."
| "You can start improving your heart health right now." |
Tread marks! The effects of stress on the heart
Stress can negatively affect the normal functioning of a man's heart, and the coping strategies that men often choose to deal with stress can cause further damage to the heart.
Acute stress, short-term stress experienced during activities like driving through heavy traffic or playing a competitive sport, requires a fight-or-flight reaction. The reaction is in the moment and can help to protect the body, or improve performance.
Chronic stress, stress that goes on for a long time or happens frequently, like consistent work deadlines or ongoing family problems, can delay the fight-or-flight response for hours, days, months or even years, causing high blood pressure and/or high levels of bad cholesterol (LDL), both significant contributors to heart disease.
Instead of dealing with stress in healthy ways, many men experiencing chronic stress further damage their hearts with unhealthy coping activities like eating fatty foods, consuming too much alcohol, and watching too much TV. A high fat diet, excessive alcohol consumption or an inactive lifestyle can lead to high blood pressure and poor cholesterol levels that can ultimately cause narrowing of the arteries.
Narrowing of the arteries occurs when fatty deposits called plaque build up in the arteries to the point that only a small amount of blood can flow through to the heart. Chest pain called angina can occur, and sometimes a blood clot will completely block the blood flow to a coronary artery causing a heart attack.
S-T-O-P! Smoking
Smoking, too, is a dangerous way to reduce stress, because it damages the lining of the coronary arteries. When the arteries are damaged, they are susceptible to plaque build-up. This sets up the process of the narrowing of the arteries," says Dr. Dafoe.
Additionally, nicotine and carbon monoxide can contribute to heart disease. Nicotine is a stimulant that can increase your blood pressure, and carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke decreases the oxygen throughout your body and can stimulate abnormal heart rhythms. "And if you have heart disease, smokers increase their risk of heart attack if they continue to smoke," says Dr. Dafoe.
Change direction to prevent heart disease
Georges survived his heart attack. He was lucky. Thousands of Canadian men die from heart disease every year. "Heart disease definitely can happen to you," says Dr. Dafoe. By using the tools to protect your heart, you can start improving your heart health right now. "Take as much responsibility for your body as you do for other things in your life, like your work, your family, your car," says Dr. Dafoe. A healthy heart will allow for healthy living in all areas of your life.
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This article was prepared by Capital Health, the CHN's 
