Studies have shown that high-stakes or stressful events, such as World Cup soccer games and earthquakes, overlap with cardiovascular events, like heart attacks. Now, researchers found the 2016 U.S. presidential election correlated with an increase in arrhythmias, an irregular heart rhythm, among adults living in North Carolina with underlying heart conditions. This association was true regardless of a patient’s political affiliation or the election outcome.
To assess the connection between cardiovascular stress and highly-charged political events, researchers retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 2,436 patients living in North Carolina, a battleground state, who were registered to vote and used a medical device, such as an implanted defibrillator or pacemaker, to support their heart’s function. The authors found a 77% increase in irregular, faster heartbeats during the 2016 election period, measured from Oct. 25 – Dec. 6. During this time, 2,592 incidents of irregular heartbeats occurred among 655 study participants compared to 1,533 incidents in 472 patients from a six-week period in June. Data from 2015 served as an additional control to help the researchers confirm this correlation.
The authors note future studies could assess the potential benefits of individuals with underlying heart conditions using stress-reducing modifications, like cognitive behavioral therapy or yoga, or taking medications to reduce the risk of experiencing a cardiovascular event during an election. More research is also necessary to understand the link between high-stakes political events and long-term health outcomes, such as worsening of heart failure or hospitalization. The study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association and was supported by the NHLBI and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.