Anxiety of election results can precipitate heart ailments Friday 15th May 2009 HCFI:  May 17th International Hypertension awareness day People contesting for the Member of Parliament should take the election process with a heart or the resultant stress of the election results can precipitate acute heart attack, paralysis or dangerously high blood pressure in susceptible individuals. Sudden excitement can release high amount of adrenalin which can accelerate both pulse and blood pressure putting a strain to the heart and / or the brain.  All election candidates and supporters should prepare themselves for such situations.  They must remember that winning or losing an election is a part of the game.  Losing an election does not mean that you do not deserve to win. It only means that on the day of election under the prevalent circumstances the public felt it otherwise.  High risk contestants with blood pressure, diabetes or heart conditions should consult their doctor who may increase their drugs for a short period. It is known that stress may make diabetes uncontrolled, cause lack of sleep, fluctuation in blood pressure or precipitate angina in susceptible individuals. Data from the Multicenter Investigation of the Limitation of Infarct Size (MILIS) has shown that among 849 patients with acute heart attacks 48 percent described one or more possible triggers, the most common of which was emotional upset (14 percent). Studies have identified possible triggers in up to 10 percent of patients. Since current acute emotional stress may be unavoidable, benefit may be gained through efforts to interrupt the link between the stressor and the cardiovascular event by pharmacologic means. Preliminary data from the Myocardial Infarction Onset study suggest that aspirin modifies the relative risk of anger producing heart attack. Beta-blockers may also be protective. The high-risk member of parliaments in waiting should ask their cardiologists to prescribe aspirin and or beta blocker if not contraindicated. The beta-blocker dose will not allow sudden rise in pulse or blood pressure if an acute anxiety state occurs. Adopting to pranayama and other relaxation techniques also help. Most important is to identify the underlying risk. Individuals at low risk of having blockages or vulnerable plaques might not require intervention at these emotional stress crises since their absolute risk of an event attributable to the trigger is low. One should avoid smoking, taking tobacco, drinking a lot of tea or coffee or trying to relax using binge alcohol (more than 5 pegs). Getting a prescription from your doctors of a mild tranquilizer (anti-anxiety drug in an anti-anxiety dose) a few hours before the results may also help in relieving the anxiety.  The best way to face the defeat is not to withdraw but to call the co-contestant and congratulate him or her.  Going to the public and thanking them even after a loss is another way of de-stressing.