About twenty years ago I had sent a working hypothesis (a guesswork or conjecture) to a medical journal. In that hypothesis I had suggested stress as a root cause; in essential or idiopathic hypertension and ischemic heart diseases (apart from many others). By the use of word “stress” I imply mismanagement of stress; as stress is universal and ubiquitous.

The hypothesis was rejected as baseless.

Today I wish to reiterate that hypothesis; in this article so that everyone can read and decide if it makes sense or not.

The hypothesis is:

1. The cholesterol, triglycerides and chemicals in blood called risk factors for ischemic heart disease and blood pressure; increase due to acute and/or chronic over activity of sympathetic nervous system; due to acute or chronic stress; respectively. Hence the root cause of ischemic heart disease and essential (idiopathic) hypertension; is stress.

2. The root cause of spasms in coronary (heart) blood vessels is also acute and/or chronic over activity of sympathetic nervous system; due to acute or chronic stress.

3. The root cause of constriction of the vessels of kidneys resulting in increase in rennin angiotensisn activity and subsequent increase in blood pressure and is also (in most cases); often (unnoticed) stress.

4. The root cause of atherosclerosis; is due to the increased friction and mechanical damage and roughening of the constricting vessels; especially arterioles. As the constriction is due to over activity of sympathetic nervous system; the commonest cause of which is acute and/or chronic stress; the root cause of atherosclerosis also; in most cases; is stress.

5. It is agreed that some people would be genetically more prone to stress and subsequent ischemic heart disease and blood pressure. But that does not disprove or even create a doubt about the hypothesis of stress as a root cause of bad lipids, spasms and atherosclerosis and subsequent ischemic heart disease and essential (idiopathic) hypertension; as genetic predisposition and stress; are not mutually exclusive.

6. We can apply common sense and reason out; how stress can disturb the metabolic, endocrine, neuroendocrine, autonomic nervous and central nervous activities and influence various tissues including heart vessels and other blood vessels in body.

7. It is important to remember that stress is often subconscious, during sleep and even during embryonic life and hence goes unnoticed.

8. In short; the first line preventive as well as healing measure (treatment) for ischemic heart disease and essential hypertension (and several other diseases mentioned in my book on Total Stress Management); is learning and practicing Total Stress Management.

What is Total Stress Management?

It is a process of continuous evolution in cognition, affect and conation; i.e. perception, feelings and behavior. This is a natural (but not arbitrary) and accentuated blossoming; from inaccuracy and inappropriateness to accuracy and appropriateness; without any regimentalization.

In philosophical and spiritual literature (Jnaneshvari also called Dnyaneshvari) this is called a stepwise process of self realization or krama (stepwise) Yoga. Namasmaran (Jap, Jaap, Jikra, Sumiran, and Simaran i.e. remembering and reorienting to the true self) is acclaimed to be universally and unconditionally helpful in this process. Apart from the study of physiology, pathophysiology, statistical surveys, clinical studies, experimental work; the verification of this hypothesis is essentially through the practice of Namasmaran.