Anxiety in women and its effect on heart health: Pandemic version

Increased heart rate. Rapid breathing. Struggling to sleep. Feeling weak and tired. Sweating or trembling. These are the signs and symptoms of anxiety. One or more of these symptoms might be familiar to everyone because of the current pandemic. Anxiety disorder is real, and it has escalated quickly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Anxiety is characterized by the constant feeling of worry and stress, and it has physical repercussions such as increased blood pressure, which can affect cardiovascular health. According to the American Psychological Association, women are more likely to experience anxiety disorders than men; this was concluded pre-pandemic. During the pandemic, various research, surveys, and polls have shown that gender disparities have been emerging, along with the gap in the mental health system between men and women. A poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation in March 2020 concluded that 49 percent of women felt that the coronavirus outbreak had severely disrupted their lifestyle compared to 40 percent of men.

49 percent of women felt that the coronavirus outbreak had severely disrupted their lifestyle compared to 40 percent of men.

COVID-19 has compelled many women to juggle familial responsibilities while working from home. In addition, access to reproductive healthcare resources has been seriously hindered during the pandemic, possibly increasing the onset of anxiety. The pandemic pushed countries into lockdown, and though it caused lots of general economic damage, sexual and reproductive health services were stripped away from women in particular. Women in affected areas have been unable to access contraception and have failed to get abortions, while maternal deaths have increased. A paper posted in the Journal of the American Medical Association states that physicians have also seen an increase in stress-induced cardiomyopathy, which is also known as broken heart syndrome. Cardiomyopathy could potentially be caused by the stress, isolation, and loneliness that people have experienced during the pandemic. Stress during the pandemic has been primarily caused and amplified by emotional trauma, lack of sleep, financial worry, and the death of a loved one. In the human body, the hormone cortisol is released in response to stress in order to protect the body. However, excessive cortisol production can lead to high levels of cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, and triglycerides; all of which may lead to dangerous heart disease.

Stress during the pandemic has been primarily caused and amplified by emotional trauma, lack of sleep, financial worry, and the death of a loved one.

An experimental study performed with 92 women, published by The Journal of Social Psychology, concluded that workplace sexism fostered anxiety in women. This is a common problem around the world and may also take a toll on women’s overall mental health. Anxiety disorders range from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The main differences between anxiety in men and women, as demonstrated by research, has been linked to genetic factors and female hormones. This research stresses the dire need for differential treatment between men and women. A study from Current Cardiology Reports stated that anxiety disorders likely increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), especially in women. Sample meta-analysis data showed that 16 percent of patients with CVD had an anxiety disorder. However, there are some limitations to the accuracy of such data because anxiety fluctuates over a period of time and is not consistently experienced by individuals. Another study showed the prevalence of anxiety disorders and their association with coronary heart disease. Experts concluded that, out of all the evaluated patients, 70.8 percent of the women with cardiac disease had a higher rate of diagnosed anxiety disorder compared to the men with cardiac disease. This research was conducted in 2007, however, the topic is still relevant today as the pandemic has potentially amplified and worsened anxiety disorders in women. 

Unaddressed stress or burnout can lead to depression and trigger poor heart conditions.

Unaddressed stress or burnout can lead to depression and trigger poor heart conditions. It is important to mitigate stress and burnout, yet there is a systemic lack of high-quality and accessible healthcare, especially in developing countries. One of the most prevalent self-care strategies is regular exercise, which has been proven to reduce depression and anxiety. There are also many mental health platforms, and psychological assistance and counselling resources are available. Crumbling economics, shattered businesses, record-breaking unemployment, losing loved ones are some of the visible repercussions of this pandemic. The less conspicuous, but not less imperative, factor is the emotional distress to which women have been subjected simply because of their gender.

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