I was 45 and a busy mum-of-three when I had a heart attack caused by STRESS

HUNCHED over on all-fours, Becky Linane struggled to catch her breath. 

“It was July 2020, I was 45 and I’d gone to buy some bread,” she tells Sun Health. “As I got back in the car, I suddenly didn’t feel well.

Becky Linane, from London, had a heart attack aged 45[/caption]

The busy mum-of-three was shocked when doctors told her the suspected cause[/caption]

“I was clammy, sweating and had central crushing chest pain. 

“I managed to drive the five minutes home and walked straight into my house, got onto my hands and knees by the back door and dialled 999. 

“I don’t know why I was on all-fours, I think I was trying to get the pressure off my chest.”

Children’s nurse Becky, now 50, from Eltham, South East London, was having a heart attack. 

Blue-lighted to King’s College Hospital, she was rushed straight to the catheter lab and diagnosed with a spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) – a heart attack which occurs when the heart artery wall tears.

Mortality rates can be as high as 70 per cent.

The busy mum-of-three was told during her week-long stay in hospital that stress was a huge contributory factor to the episode which could have killed her. 

“I remember lying in the hospital bed when the doctor described what had happened,” Becky recalls. 

“It seemed unbelievable but I knew instantly something had to change. 

“I was healthy, I exercised, I didn’t drink or smoke, I wasn’t overweight – I’m a nurse and knew I had none of the risk factors for a heart attack so it made sense that stress contributed to it.”

Dr Andrea Pickering, clinical director at Clinical Partners, says the link between stress and physical health is well established yet ignored by too many. 

“People have linked stress and physical illness for centuries; even ancient Greek doctors noted how emotional strain affected the body,” she says. 

“But it wasn’t until the 1930s that stress was studied scientifically as a biological process. 

“The research showed stress triggers physical changes, like hormone surges and immune suppression.”

The NHS lists 15 symptoms of stress – ranging from headaches, dizziness and chest pain to difficulty concentrating and being irritable and snappy. 

While Becky has made a full recovery, she says the episode has changed her life. 

“Looking back, I was under a lot of stress,” she says. 

“I wasn’t happy at work at the time; we were just coming out of the first lockdown but the schools were still closed. 

“I was a busy working mum and I had three youngish children; at the time Matthew was 14, Evie Rose was 12, and Zac was nine. 

“What happened to me was terrifying but it put a lot of things into perspective and it changed my life.”

Stress isn’t just in your head, it takes a real toll on your body and has been linked to heart problems, high blood pressure and gut issues

Dr Andrea Pickering

Stress is a natural physical and mental reaction to life experiences.

Everyone feels it from time to time, and it can be beneficial when it helps you to deal with potentially serious situations.

However, multiple modern studies have linked stress to health conditions like the one Becky experienced. 

A study published in The Lancet found that exposure to chronic stress (defined as stress at work or home, financial stress or other major life events) was associated with a 167 per cent increased risk of a heart attack.

Research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that up to 70 per cent of SCAD patients could identify an emotional or physical stressor (like an argument, intense exercise or emotional distress) in the hours or days leading up to their heart attack.

And people with the highest levels of activity in the amygdala (the brain region linked to stress) had a 14-fold increased risk of cardiac events (including heart attacks) compared to those with lower activity in review published in The Lancet. 

“Stress isn’t just in your head, it takes a real toll on your body,” Dr Pickering says. 

“Long-term stress has been linked to heart problems, high blood pressure and gut issues like IBS. 

“The British Heart Foundation warns that chronic stress can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke too.”

Stress-related health issues cost the NHS a staggering £11billion pounds every year. 

It accounts for around 68million GP appointments and three million emergency department visits annually. 

Stress-related illness also accounted for over 5.5million inpatient admissions and 23 per cent of all inpatient spend.

My heart attack reset my boundaries in a really big way. My whole life philosophy has changed

Becky Linane

After her potentially stress-induced heart attack, Becky had extensive cardio rehabilitation.

She has now finished a master’s degree in healthcare practice, but she makes sure she keeps her stress levels low. 

“I’ve always been organised and a planner but I don’t sweat the small stuff as much anymore,” she says. 

“I try not to worry about the things I can’t affect or change. My whole life philosophy has changed in that way. 

“I was at work the other day and one of my colleagues commented on how I’m good at leaving work at work and coming home and switching off. 

“I love my job but I don’t let it own me in the way it used to. I make sure I relax more and I sleep better too. 

“My heart attack reset my boundaries in a really big way. 

“Do I wish it hadn’t taken that to make me see what stress was doing to me? Of course I do, but I’m fortunate I had another chance to change things. 

“I’m still driven and I still strive to do my very best. But if I fall short, I don’t get as affected by it as I used to.”

‘Ticking time bomb’

Dr Pickering says stress levels – like the ones Becky was living with – are a ticking time bomb, both for the NHS and the UK population.

“The word ‘pandemic’ usually refers to infectious diseases, but stress today affects millions on a similar scale,” she says. 

“Chronic stress impacts physical and mental health widely, contributing to heart disease, anxiety, depression and more. 

“Given how many people struggle daily and the burden on health services, it’s fair to say we face a stress crisis, and it needs urgent attention. 

“We now know that chronic stress can cause heart disease, gut problems, poor sleep and more. 

“And the research continues, with UK scientists exploring how childhood stress raises risks of illness later in life.”

She adds: “Stress activates the adrenaline system within the body which heightens a person’s ability to respond to threat through a fight or flight response. 

“This is helpful in the short-term to manage a difficult situation, but if this system is activated repeatedly and for prolonged periods of time, it’s linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, weakened immunity, poor sleep and mental health issues including anxiety and depression. 

“Stress keeps your body in overdrive. Over time, this persisting strain affects everything from your digestion to your heart and brain.”

While stress accounts for more than a third of primary care expenditure, it also costs the private sector £238million.

Workplace stress costs a massive £56billion a year to the UK economy too and is responsible for over 23million sick days a year.

For Dr Pickering, being aware of the physical manifestations of stress is the first step in tackling the UK’s stress crisis. 

‘My whole life philosophy has changed,’ she says[/caption]

“Stress shows up in many ways, affecting your body, mind and emotions,” she says. “Physically, you might notice a racing heart, muscle tension or headaches. 

“Emotionally, stress feels overwhelming, with irritability or trouble concentrating. You may also feel restless or anxious, constantly on edge. 

“These are your body’s warning signs, preparing to face a challenge – but when they go on too long, they become exhausting and disrupt daily life. 

“Both intense bursts and ongoing low-level stress harm your health, but chronic low-level stress is often worse because it never lets your body fully recover. 

“This constant ‘background stress’ keeps adrenaline levels elevated, quietly putting strain on your heart, immune system and mental wellbeing. 

“So, while big stressful events feel intense, it’s persistent day-to-day pressures that cause the most harm if left unmanaged.”

While SCAD can reoccur in 10 per cent of cases, fortunately Becky hasn’t been left with any long-term effects. 

It shouldn’t have taken a huge health episode for me to change the way I was living

Becky Linane

“I’ve become kinder to myself since it happened,” she says. “I see bumps in the road as just that now. 

“I stress far less than I did before and I tell my three teenage kids to reduce their stress levels too.

“I take pleasure in the simple things more; time with loved ones, being outdoors and I’ve started keeping bees too. 

“I know modern life asks a lot of us but there’s nothing worth compromising your health over. 

“It shouldn’t have taken a huge health episode for me to change the way I was living. 

“Looking back, I can see I was on the path for something to happen.

“If I could have seen what would happen to me, of course I’d have changed and reduced my stress levels.”

Dr Pickering says Becky’s wake-up call is something everyone can learn from.

“If we don’t control the stress crisis, the NHS risks becoming overwhelmed by rising chronic health conditions, such as heart disease and mental health problems linked to stress,” she says.

“Waiting times could worsen, and pressure on already overstretched services will increase. 

“If stress affects your body, your mind, or both, don’t ignore it. 

“Talk to someone you trust – a friend, family member or your GP. 

“First steps in lifestyle changes like exercise, good sleep and mindfulness can be a good start. 

“But if stress feels overwhelming or lasts too long, psychological therapy with a trained mental health professional can make a big difference.”