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Your genes could put you at a higher risk of heart attack during very stressful times, including presidential election season.
Research from Massachusetts General Hospital found that people who have specific genetic traits — paired with anxiety or depression — are at a “significantly higher heart attack risk” during periods of social or political stress, such as presidential elections, winter holidays or even the Super Bowl.
With former President Trump found guilty on 34 charges of falsifying business records this week, more stress could be added to the mix.
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The study, presented at the American College of Cardiology’s annual scientific session in April, was the first to examine stress sensitivity based on genetics as a driver of acute coronary syndromes (ACS).
These syndromes include heart attacks and other “serious conditions where the heart is suddenly deprived of blood supply,” a press release noted.
People with high stress sensitivity, anxiety or depression are at a “significantly higher heart attack risk” during periods of social or political stress, the study found. (Lorenzo Bevilaqua/ABC via Getty Images; iStock)
Of 18,428 Mass General Brigham Biobank participants, 1,890 developed ACS between 2000 and 2020.
The researchers measured the participants’ stress sensitivity by measuring their neuroticism polygenic risk score (nPRS).
Stressful periods — including five days after presidential elections and 10 days surrounding Christmas Day — made up 3.2% of the observed timeline.
A total of 71 ACS cases took place during stressful periods, compared to 1,819 during control periods.
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People with high genetic stress sensitivity had a 36% higher risk of ACS, the researchers found.
Those with high genetic stress who also developed anxiety or depression had three times the risk.
People with above median nPRS, or high genetic stress sensitivity, had a 36% higher risk of ACS, a new study found. (iStock)
“High nPRS, indicating elevated genetic susceptibility to stress, mediates ACS risk during periods of socio-political stress,” the study authors wrote as a conclusion.
“A multifaceted approach to [cardiovascular disease] prevention may benefit.”
“If you have both conditions, you would expect to have a substantial increase in your risk.”
In an interview with Fox News Digital, lead study author Shady Abohashem, M.D., instructor of cardiovascular imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School,