Can anxiety cause heart disease at 24?

It's unclear why heart disease and anxiety are connected and whether anxiety can cause heart attacks. Generalized anxiety disorder is associated with surges of the stress hormone cortisol and an outpouring of other chemicals involved in the "fight or flight" response. read more

As noted elsewhere here, anxiety doesn’t cause heart disease all by itself. The are other hereditary factors that could set you up for heart disease at 24, but they show up independently of anxiety. If you can get good treatment for anxiety issues, it’s possible your heart issues will go away on their on. read more

The best way to truly understand whether anxiety causes a fast heart rate, or if a fast heart rate causes anxiety, is to monitor your heart. A heart monitor records your heart rhythm day and night. Some automatically record all heart rhythms; others require you to push a button when you feel heart symptoms. read more

Buy a home monitoring kit at your local pharmacy. Take two readings a day, morning and night, for a few days. Repeat these steps a few times a year, and share the results with your doctor. Better understanding of your blood pressure is the first step to preventing heart disease and stroke. read more