| Elevated blood concentrations
of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol have been
associated with increased illness and death from heart disease, especially
in combination with low concentrations of high-density lipoprotein
cholesterol.
Catherine M. Stoney, Ph.D., and Joel W. Hughes of the Ohio State
University Department of Psychology conducted the study, the first to
examine relationships between parental history of cardiovascular disease
and atherogenic lipid reactivity under stress. They report their findings
in the current issue of Psychophysiology.
In the study, 22 college-aged men with no parental history of heart
attack and 15 men with one or both parents who had suffered heart attack
took a laboratory stress test individually in which they were falsely
accused of shoplifting and had to defend themselves in the store's
security office. Their speeches where recorded on video, and they were
told they would be rated for poise, articulation and appearance.
Both groups showed significant increases in all of the lipids during
the stressor, those men with a family history of heart attack had
significantly larger total cholesterol and low-density
lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations during stress.
"These data are especially intriguing because total cholesterol
and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol are strongly associated with
increased risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease,"
Stoney said.
She added, "Although speculative, the results support the
hypothesis that lipid reactivity to stress has potential implications for
the development and progression of cardiovascular disease. We hope that
understanding these factors will enhance our ability to control the
progression of the disease."
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