JAMA: 2007-07-18, Vol. 298, No. 3, Author in the Room Audio Interview

Interview with Roy C. Ziegelstein, MD, author of Acute Emotional Stress and Cardiac Arrhythmias. Summary Points: 1. Episodes of emotional stress, especially when sudden, severe, and unexpected, may have significant adverse effects on the heart. 2. Acute emotional stress can increase sympathetic stimulation of the heart and can alter brain activity in a way that makes the heart more susceptible to rhythm disturbances. 3. Since episodes of emotional stress are almost inevitable in life, part of a healthy lifestyle is learning how to deal effectively with stress.