Stress And Heart Disease

[Berta]

Dr. Eric Siegel at Fox news just mentioned this new study as "clear cut" evidence of the connection of stress to heart disease.

The study was done by the European Heart Journal but it has not been published on line yet.

Dr. Siegel pointed out that he considers this as the "Holy Grail" of difinitive proof that stress can cause heart disease.

The participants in the study had no heart disease when they started out but over time they experienced in many cases such stress over various reasons that they ended up with heart disease with no other strong etiology but for stress.

This study also supports extensive work that a VA Cardiologist did many years ago- I used his book as evidence for a claim I had- VA ignored it.( maybe because I couldnt find a xeroc machine in those days being in rural area and I swipped it from the VAMC library and offered the whole book as evidence telling them to bill me for the book)

It is called "Is it Worth Dying For" by Dr. Robert Eliot.

He had autopsied many Vietnam servicemen killed in action during the war and found that although they were all very young their arteries and other organs such as heart exhibited pronounced affects of hardening of arteries which he could only attribute to the extreme levels of stress that all combats vets often experienced hourly if not daily during the war.

He was a VA CArdiologist at the Gainesville Fla VA but in spite of that I guess VA didnt put any weight on his studies.Yet this new study -per Dr. Siegel- seems to be a very Strong association of stress to CAD in anyone who does not have any of the other etiologies that could cause CAD but has experienced high stress levels.

[Testvet]

Berta I am sure the VA will work hard to ignore this study just as they have the one issued by Dr Boscarino that was used by BVA to justify my SC as secondary to my PTSD, the fact that it was published in the Congressional record grabbed the Judge's attention I loved the way the the VA doctors all claimed there are no data linking stress to heart problems etc with all that is available on the subject they claim there is nothing to show the correlation they ignore there own VA website on PTSD and it's data.......

maybe they will recognize this but I ain't going to hold my breath

[Berta]

Yes- I agree with you-wont hold my breathe-

I went to the BVA 2009 decisions Stretch looking for Dr. Boscarino- and of course your claim is there-and popped right up and there was only one other claim for 2009 referring to his studies.

It was one of the BEST widow's claims I had ever seen.

Korean war vet- CIB ,3 Bronze Starts no potential direct SC disability on death certificate - (but he had pulmonary edema,DMII, CHD and CAD causing/contributing to his death)

NO SC in affect whatsoever at time of death.

The widow had medical opinions and testimony from family members.And a letter from Dr. Boscarino.BVut it only referred to his study and was not specific to her claim.

http://www4.va.gov/vetapp09/files2/0910441.txt

She not only proved that the veteran had full blown PTSD in his lifetime due to his combat service, but also that his PTSD contributed to his death.

What a claim!

Nothing is impossible with the VA and this widow did a lot of hard work to get this award.I am sure her deceased husband would be very proud of her ,

The CIB and Bronze Stars meant no need to prove stressor in this case but the rest of the claim was difficult I am sure.

But NOT impossible- I am posting this case in the DIC forum -it could sure help others.

[Pete53]

Best to use the study when it is available to ask Doc who does IMO to consider it in their opinion

[Chuck75]

I believe that stress is a significant factor, and every doctor I've talked with over the last thirty or so years does also.

There is another factor, diet, that is often overlooked. Vietnam veterans were fed a diet that was high in the things that contribute to high cholesterol.

Dr. Eric Siegel at Fox news just mentioned this new study as "clear cut" evidence of the connection of stress to heart disease.

The study was done by the European Heart Journal but it has not been published on line yet.

Dr. Siegel pointed out that he considers this as the "Holy Grail" of difinitive proof that stress can cause heart disease.

The participants in the study had no heart disease when they started out but over time they experienced in many cases such stress over various reasons that they ended up with heart disease with no other strong etiology but for stress.

This study also supports extensive work that a VA Cardiologist did many years ago- I used his book as evidence for a claim I had- VA ignored it.( maybe because I couldnt find a xeroc machine in those days being in rural area and I swipped it from the VAMC library and offered the whole book as evidence telling them to bill me for the book)

It is called "Is it Worth Dying For" by Dr. Robert Eliot.

He had autopsied many Vietnam servicemen killed in action during the war and found that although they were all very young their arteries and other organs such as heart exhibited pronounced affects of hardening of arteries which he could only attribute to the extreme levels of stress that all combats vets often experienced hourly if not daily during the war.

He was a VA CArdiologist at the Gainesville Fla VA but in spite of that I guess VA didnt put any weight on his studies.Yet this new study -per Dr. Siegel- seems to be a very Strong association of stress to CAD in anyone who does not have any of the other etiologies that could cause CAD but has experienced high stress levels.