Any serious or terrible accident that happens in life not only hurts the mind and brain, but it directly hits the heart of the person. According to a large study published in the ‘Journal of the American Heart Association’ (JAHA), impaired mental status after a major trauma significantly increases the risk of future cardiovascular diseases.
Research conducted on more than 2.19 lakh people, 44 thousand suffered loss
The researchers analyzed data from 219,866 adults who had experienced major traumatic events at some point in their lives, such as arson, serious illness, fatal physical assault, the sudden death of a loved one, or suicide.
The study results have health experts worried:
- About 44,000 participants suffered a heart attack, stroke or other serious heart-related problems during the study period.
- Many of these patients required emergency medical procedures (such as angioplasty or surgery) to restore blood flow to the heart.
- In many cases, patients lost their lives due to cardiovascular complications.
Identification with machine learning: Alcohol consumption is the biggest risk
Researchers used advanced ‘machine learning’ techniques to identify the 15 most important causes of mental conditions associated with heart disease. The most dangerous aspect that emerged in the analysis was the habit of excessive drinking after mental trauma.
The study found that excessive alcohol consumption is the biggest risk factor for heart disease after trauma.
expert opinion
“When a person goes through a major shock or emotional upheaval, he often resorts to alcohol to get immediate relief from that mental pain or to suppress his emotions. This habit puts a huge strain on the body’s circulatory system and heart, which later proves fatal.”
—Principal Researcher and Assistant Professor
Advice for citizens: What to do after trauma?
According to health experts, it is important to take these steps to protect your health after any major accident or mental trauma:
- Avoid addiction: Do not resort to alcohol, nicotine or other intoxicants to reduce stress. Instead of solving the problem, it doubles it.
- Professional Counselling: If symptoms of depression or anxiety appear after trauma, immediately contact a psychiatrist or counselor.
- Regular health checkups: If you have gone through any major stress, keep getting your blood pressure, cholesterol and heart health checked regularly.