Washington [US]: A study of more than 400 adults with normal blood pressure has shown that those who had elevated stress hormones detected in their urine were more likely to develop high blood pressure over the next 6-7 years.

The findings of the study were published in the journal ‘Hypertension‘. Higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol were also linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke.

Studies have shown that cumulative exposure to daily stressors and exposure to traumatic stress can increase cardiovascular disease risk.