MESA researchers discovered an association between negative emotions like stress, depression, and hostility and increased risk of stroke. The association appears to be independent of other stroke risk factors like smoking and high blood pressure. "There’s such a focus on traditional risk factors—cholesterol levels, blood pressure, smoking and so forth—and those are all very important, but studies like this one show that psychological characteristics are equally important," said Susan Everson-Rose, Ph.D., MPH, lead author of the study. For more information about this research, check out the link below.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140710161437.htm