Cardiologists warn of higher stress around elections

With the election approaching one day away, it can be a stressful time, of course, for a lot of people, regardless of voter preferences or outcomes. That's right. So Kaiser Permanente took a look at some things and conducted a study on election stress in the days after the 2020 election. So here are some of the findings in looking at more than six million adults in California. Compared to the same stretch of time two weeks earlier, while heart attacks. Heart failure hospitalizations were 42% higher and heart failure hospitalizations were 18% higher. The study also found an increase in strokes as well. All right, so let's talk more about what is going on here. And let's bring in Dr. Jamal Rana, a cardiologist at Kaiser Permanente East Bay. Always good to see you. Appreciate the time here. So what is it about the stress surrounding elections that leads to more heart problems? Yeah, so stress is a known trigger. for heart attacks and strokes. We have seen this in other instances such as earthquakes, such as sometimes even football games. And so we did the study for like six years ago, and we looked at if whether the election stress can cause that too. And it was quite alarming to see 42% higher risk of heart attack, heart condition. Even up to five days after the actual election day. And so I'm glad, in a way, that we're talking about this the day before the elections again. And why do you think that is? Is it just that people are worried about the outcome, that the person that they're supporting isn't going to win? Is it they're worried about their future? What is it that really causes this level of stress? Yeah, so I think it's really the politics part of it. And then I think the social media and the hypervigilance of news keep coming in. There's actually no reprieve from it. So instead of sleeping, we're up at night with our phones and this constant barrage of news. So we need to be sort of cautious against that. So what would you recommend to people here? One day before Election Day, the votes are counted. And then obviously sometimes the results don't come in for days after that. What would you recommend to people here this week to sort of manage their stress levels around the election? Yeah, I was going to tell them to turn off the news. I know, right? Not now. Not now, but after the segment is over. Yeah, so I think just knowing this in the first place, that you are vulnerable to get heart attacks. And then the stress can cause, trigger, like if you have blocked arteries or semi-blocked arteries, it can trigger the whole cascade of heart attacks. So what you can do is be very mindful. You should... Set boundaries about, hey, I'm going to sleep at this hour, not keep watching news on and on. If you're exercising, make sure you don't miss those exercises, do yoga, all those things, right? And if you have a known heart attack in the past, make sure you're not missing your medicines. So the ballot counts. So does your blood pressure. So be aware of that. Yeah. Yeah. And I know that sometimes I hear from folks that when they're feeling stressed, just a little bit of a timeout, maybe going for a walk, is something that really helps to reduce that stress level. So perhaps you can get in some extra steps between now and election day when the results are actually certified. Yeah. That's very well said. Again, just being very, very mindful of blocking the time. Don't break routine so much. Get out, exercise, don't fight with each other. But is this especially important for those that already have heart issues? Or is it something that we all need to be aware of? Yeah, I think we should all be aware of that. Of course, anytime somebody has a known heart attack or stroke, they're at more elevated risk, but this is something you can never predict. So I think we should all be aware of that. Something for all of us to be thinking about here. Okay, so let's say we have people who are sort of maybe older or maybe have previous heart conditions in our lives. What are some of the warning signs that people should be looking out for to know if that person is in trouble? It's always good to have these reminders. Yeah, that's again an Excellent question. So, you know, the known thing is this crushing chest pain, elephant or somebody sitting on your chest. But there are other sort of not so typical signs, like feeling short of breath, like having like sweats suddenly, and not feeling yourself. Like suddenly you're going up the stairs and suddenly you feel, oh. This is not me. I'm getting more tired more than usual. So fatigue and shortness of breath is one of the other things that you should be aware of. So I would say that, you know, and then no matter what happens, make sure your heart is on the winning side of the elections. Yeah, so you've got to put it in perspective. I mean, people put a lot on the outcome of elections. And certainly they're consequential, but your health is even more consequential. That's right, your life must go on. All right, Dr., really appreciate it. Thanks for coming in. And hopefully everyone will. Well, we'll heed those warnings and just breathe, people. Let's all just take it. And do watch the news. Yeah, yeah. Appreciate it. All right.