Fear of Terror May Raise Heart Disease Risk
(NY, Reuters Health, 8/6/04)

Dr. Samuel Melamed of Tel-Aviv University in Israel, and team, queried 1152 healthy Israeli workers about their concerns for personal safety, their anxiety in crowded areas and their fear that they or family members might be hurt by terrorists. The researchers found that the female subjects who reported being extremely afraid of terrorism tended to have elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of blood vessel inflammation that indicates an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The study suggests that women (but apparently not men) who report chronic feelings of fear are more likely to suffer cardiovascular problems than their peers.

(Psychosomatic Medicine, July/August 2004)