Gradually Increased Stress Levels in the Days Leading to an Acute Myocardial Infarction Detected by a New Biomarker-Based Approach

The study investigated the relationship between stress levels and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in 95 male patients by measuring Hair Cortisol Concentration (HCC), a biomarker for cortisol blood levels. The study excluded patients over 80 years old or with chronic inflammatory disease, endocrine/psychiatric disorder, or malignancy. Hair samples were analyzed to determine the cumulative cortisol deposited by the bloodstream, reflecting stress levels over time. The results showed a gradual increase in HCC, and thus stress levels, in the 75 days leading up to an AMI, with the highest stress levels occurring 15 days prior to the event. This suggests that stress levels, as measured by HCC, peak around two weeks before an AMI. No funding sources were reported for the study.