Mental health, heart disease link underscored by new study

Nearly half of Americans are affected by cardiovascular disease, while about 1 in 4 live with a mental health condition.

A newly released report from Emory University points to a deeper connection between these two growing health challenges. According to the findings, certain mental health conditions can increase the risk of developing heart disease by 50 to 100 percent — and for those already diagnosed, the likelihood of severe outcomes in existing heart conditions may rise by 60 to 170 percent.

“It’s not only important to realize that people with mental disorders are at higher risk, according to disease, but also people with cardiovascular disorders are more likely to show mental health problems,” lead researcher Viola Vaccarino said.

Vaccarino, a professor of cardiovascular research in Emory’s School of Public Health and School of Medicine, said the main goal of her team’s work was to provide an overview of research on cardiovascular health “with particular emphasis on the disparities that involve people with mental disorders.”

Depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia and, more recently, PTSD are among the mental health conditions linked to a significantly higher risk of heart disease. Of these, schizophrenia — though relatively rare — shows the strongest association.

According to the report, these mental disorders can elevate the risk of heart disease for multiple reasons. First, the body may experience more inflammation, which takes a toll on heart health. Autonomic dysfunction, or what is essentially “amping up” the nervous system, can also be dangerous for the long-term care of your heart.

Certain behavioral aspects or social determinants of living with mental disorders can increase your general risk.

“We really want to emphasize that we need to improve health care and improve policies in order to allow for better recognition of this commonality and better care for the people who have it,” Vaccarino said.

There are ways you can reduce many of the behaviors that raise the risk of heart disease — even while managing a mental illness.

“Mental health really should be considered a mind-body disorder, not a mind disorder,” Emory professor JoEllen Schimmels said.

Schimmels, who served as a psychiatric nurse during combat for over 20 years and a psychiatric nurse for the Department of Veterans Affairs, pointed to multiple negative effects poor mental health has on the body and how they can be mitigated.

Poor sleeping habits are a common symptom of mental illness that wreak havoc on the body and heart. Schimmels recommends people maintain a consistent sleep schedule.

Diet and exercise play a key role in decreasing inflammation. Schimmels notes that plant-based diets and Mediterranean-style diets are most beneficial.

Overall, Schimmels recommends staying present and practicing mindfulness whenever you can, and using grounding techniques and breathing exercises to sustain those feelings.

“It’s really cool that our brains can function kind of in the past, present, and future at the same time, but that can also cause a lot of problems,” Schimmels said. “A lot of worrying about what’s happened yesterday or what’s happened in the past can really actually be overwhelming for your brain and your body.”