Surprising Heart Hazards

Unhealthy habits like smoking and eating too much fast food can be bad for the heart – but these surprising factors may be putting you at risk.

1. Depression. More than just feeling sad from time to time, depression can cause feelings of hopelessness, despair and lack of motivation for two weeks or longer. People who have heart disease are more likely to have depression, and the two conditions share symptoms, including extreme fatigue and difficulty sleeping.

2. Early menopause. Defined as going more than a year without a menstrual period, menopause happens for most women around age 51. Women who go through menopause before their 46th birthday may have double the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. Women who use oral contraceptives are at an even higher risk of heart attack and stroke.

3. Migraines with aura. Some people who have migraines have a visual aura (or dramatic changes in vision) 30 minutes to an hour before their headache starts. Migraines with aura dramatically increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, as well as blood clot complications such as deep vein thrombosis.

4. Moderate to severe asthma. Recent research from the American Heart Association found that people with asthma severe enough to require daily medications were 60 percent more likely to have a heart attack, stroke or other heart-related condition.

5. Extreme anger and anxiety. The risk of heart attack is 8.5 times higher in the two hours after feelings of intense anger and 9.5 times higher in the two hours after extreme anxiety.

Just like a plumbing system that becomes clogged, coronary artery disease (or the buildup of plaque in your arteries) can disrupt the flow of blood to the heart. Your heart's electrical system can also malfunction. This electrical system is what causes your heart to beat.

Arrhythmia describes any problem related to the electrical impulses of the heart. Your heart can beat too fast, too slow or out of rhythm. When the heart isn't beating correctly, blood does not flow as well out of the heart and to your other organs. One type of arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation, or Afib, dramatically increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.

To avoid problems from arrhythmia, talk with your doctor about your risk factors. Many arrhythmias cause few symptoms, so regular checkups are important.

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