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Will Vital Exhaustion Raise Risk Of Atrial Fibrillation?
 

Being the most commonly diagnosed heart rhythm disorder, atrial fibrillation (AFib) occurs when the upper chambers of the heart (atria) beat irregularly (quiver) instead of beating effectively to move blood into the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles). The heart can beat too slowly, too fast or in an irregular manner. It can happen in brief episodes or it may be a permanent condition.

As of 2010, an estimated 33.5 million people worldwide had AFib, according to a study published in the journal ‘Circulation’. In 2017, AFib was mentioned on 166,793 death certificates and was the underlying cause of death in 26,077 of those deaths. It is estimated that 17 million people in Europe and 10 million people in the United States will have this condition by 2021, increasing their risk for heart attack, stroke, and death.

Chance of AFib increases with age. Other risk factors include a family history of the disorder; heart disease; hypertension; obesity; a drinking problem; diabetes; smoking; moderate to heavy alcohol use; chronic kidney disease; respiratory diseases, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).

Meanwhile, people who have vital exhaustion are more likely to develop AFib, according to a study published in January 13, 2020, in the ‘European Journal of Preventive Cardiology’. Vital exhaustion, also known as burnout syndrome, is a combination of fatigue, irritability, and demoralization. The World Health Organization (WHO) tied burnout to chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It may show up as exhaustion, being cynical about work, or feeling less effective at the job.
 

In the study, 11,455 people were followed starting when they were 57 years old on average and had no history of AFib. After a median follow-up period of about 23 years, 2,220 people, or about 19 percent of the participants, developed AFib. People with the highest levels of burnout at the start of the study were 20 percent more likely to develop AFib than participants with little or no evidence of exhaustion.

Researchers assessed vital exhaustion based on how often people experienced a wide range of symptoms, including fatigue, poor sleep, lack of energy, limited concentration, crying spells, hopelessness, irritability, decreased libido, depression, or suicidal thoughts. The researchers also looked at whether people took antidepressants, experienced frequent bouts of anger, or suffered from social isolation. Antidepressant use was found to link to a 21 percent higher risk of AFib and This did not vary based on the type of antidepressants people used, and AFib risk did not appear to be influenced by anger or social ties.

Exhaustion has been known to be harmful for one’s mental health, but the new findings suggest that it may also adversely affect one’s heart health. Exhaustion increases one’s risk for cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke, and also now for AFib. Patients with atrial fibrillation have a 5 times higher risk of stroke. Between 20 percent to 30 percent of strokes are caused by AFib.

Likely explanation for the association between exhaustion and the heart rhythm disorder is that vital exhaustion is lined to increased inflammation and increased activation of the body’s physiological stress response. This can have serious and damaging effects on the heart tissue, which could then eventually lead to the development of AFib. It is also possible that burnout leads to unhealthy behaviors such as eating more and exercising less, and this can lead to the development of risk factors for AFib, like high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes.

Furthermore, long working hours may also play a part. A study that was published in September 2017 in the ‘European Heart Journal’ followed more than 85,000 adults for a decade and found working at least 55 hours a week did associate with a 42 percent higher risk of AFib than working 35 to 40 hours a week.

To avoid negative emotions, people can minimize interpersonal conflicts by learning better strategies for conflict resolution or anger management or by learning relaxation techniques to lower stress when difficult situations cannot easily be resolved. Working less or leaving a stressful job can help, too. People can adopt healthy forms of stress relief, like running or yoga, instead of unhealthy alternatives, like drinking and smoking.
 

Date: May 28, 2020

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