From Citizendium - Reading time: 1 min
The associations between psychological stress and medical illnesses may be due to either subtle physiological changes induced by the stress, or may be due to the stress leading to increased seeking of medical care.[1]
A prospective cohort study found "Chronic job strain after a first MI (myocardial infarction) was associated with an increased risk of recurrent CHD [[[coronary heart disease]]].[2]
Psychological stress may lead to physiologic abnormalities in the esophagus.[3]
There is increased incidence of psychological diagnoses in patients with irritable bowel[1], but it is not clear whether psychological issues contribute to irritable bowel, irritable bowel can cause psychological stress, or whether psychological stress lowers the patient's threshold to see medical care.