[Anxiety as an independent cardiovascular risk].

Anxiety itself, and anxiety disorders in particular, seem to represent an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases as important as obesity, hypertension, sendentary lifestyle or hyperlipidemia. Anxiety-related noradrenaline and HPA overactivity, excessive sympathetic nervous system activation, and the permanently elevated level of several neuropeptides and cytokines result in hypertension and arrhythmias, endothel lesions, detrimental hemodynamic changes and platelet overactivation facilitating thrombosis. Patients with severe and sustained anxiety usually have additional adverse health behaviors which further aggravate the hazards. Epidemiological studies agree in finding markedly increased incidence of myocardial infarct, coronary heart disease or other cardiovascular conditions, often with earlier age of onset, faster progression and higher letality, in anxiety disorder patients. Better recognition and adequate treatment of anxiety disorders may therefore contribute to curbing the excessive--and typically early-onset--cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in Hungary.