Heart disease is often linked to high cholesterol, obesity, or lack of exercise. However, there is mounting evidence that suggests that mental health plays a crucial role in cardiovascular well-being. Stress, anxiety, and depression can silently strain the heart, increasing the risk of serious complications.

A recent study, published in Nature Human Behaviour, showed that loneliness has a significant impact on proteins present in a person's blood. For the study, researchers used data from more than 42,000 participants to explore whether the 9.3% who reported social isolation and 6.4% who reported loneliness had different levels of proteins in their blood compared with those who did not. The researchers then studied data that tracked the health of participants over an average 14-year period.

"We found around 90% of these proteins are linked to the risk of mortality," Dr Chun Shen, Fudan University in China, who is also the lead researcher said. "In addition, about 50% of the proteins were linked to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke," he added.

Dr Shrey Kumar Srivastav, senior consultant at Sharda Hospital, said that subtle symptoms of heart disease, such as fatigue, shortness of breath, swelling in the lower legs, dizziness, and jaw pain, are often overlooked or attributed to stress and ageing. "Women, in particular, may experience atypical signs like extreme fatigue, indigestion, or upper abdominal pain instead of classic chest pain, leading to delayed diagnosis," he added.

Can Mental Health Issues Trigger Heart Diseases?

Chronic stress can trigger harmful cardiovascular effects, including elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate, and inflammation—key contributors to heart disease. Anxiety and depression further impact heart health by disrupting sleep patterns, raising stress hormone levels, and encouraging unhealthy habits like poor diet and inactivity.

Mental health issues like depression and anxiety have a profound impact on the heart. They don’t just affect emotions but can increase inflammation and put extra strain on the cardiovascular system, warns Dr Srivastav.

Certain risk factors, such as obesity and diabetes, disproportionately affect women, making them more vulnerable to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, due to gender-specific symptom variations, heart disease in women often goes undiagnosed for longer.

Obesity is more prevalent in women than men and is a major risk factor for heart failure. Diabetes, too, has a greater impact on women’s heart health, yet diagnosis and treatment delays are common. Addressing this gap requires increasing awareness, training healthcare providers, and promoting early diagnostic tools,” explains Dr Srivastav.

How Can You Protect Your Heart?

A simple yet effective way to support heart health is by committing to a brisk 30-minute walk daily. Walking not only helps regulate blood pressure and manage weight but also improves circulation and reduces stress.

"Regular physical activity, paired with a heart-healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, significantly lowers cardiovascular risks," advises Dr Srivastav.

Heart disease can often go undetected until a major event occurs, making routine screenings essential.

- For women: Begin screenings around age 30 and continue with regular checkups.

- For men: Start screenings at age 35.

Health screenings, including blood pressure checks, cholesterol tests, and electrocardiograms (ECGs), are critical for early detection of silent heart conditions.

The deaths of two University of Mississippi students whose toxicology reports reportedly detected synthetic kratom-related substances have renewed concerns about the gas-station supplement and calls for a nationwide ban.

Kratom is banned in at least eight US states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Tennessee, Vermont and Wisconsin. Several others, including Iowa and Idaho, are considering restrictions.

What Happened In Mississippi?

Aidan Hamilton, 18, and Robert Strang, 20, died in separate incidents on September 21. Investigators found packaging associated with kratom-related products, including SMAX Pseudo-DHM, at both locations, according to court documents.

A defense attorney for one of two men accused of selling narcotics connected to at least one death told a Mississippi federal court that one student died from the combined effects of multiple substances, including cough syrup, while the other died from inhalation asphyxiation, Action News 5 reported.

Court records reportedly showed that both students had mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15 and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) in their systems. However, the presence of these substances alone does not establish that they caused the deaths.

Kratom Use And Related Health Concerns Are Growing

Kratom comes from the leaves of the Mitragyna speciosa tree, native to Southeast Asia. Traditionally used for its stimulant and pain-relieving effects, it is now sold in the US as powders, capsules, teas and extracts.

US poison centers recorded 3,434 kratom exposure reports in 2025, up from 258 in 2015, according to CDC data.

Legislative efforts to restrict kratom have also intensified. An analysis by The Washington Post found that, among roughly 400 related bills considered across states, 108 proposed bans on kratom or related synthetic chemicals, while 258 focused on measures such as age limits, licensing and potency restrictions.

Can Kratom Be Addictive?

Kratom contains alkaloids, primarily mitragynine. At lower doses, it can increase alertness and energy; at higher doses, it can produce sedative and opioid-like effects by interacting with opioid receptors in the brain.

Regular use can lead to physical dependence. Withdrawal symptoms may include irritability, restlessness, muscle aches, fatigue and sweating.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says evidence suggests that some people develop substance use disorder after using kratom, although its potential for abuse has not been fully characterized in well-designed human studies.

Why Are Concentrated 7-OH Products Concerning?

7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, occurs naturally in trace amounts in kratom leaf. Some commercial products contain concentrated levels and are sold as tablets, gummies and drink shots.

The FDA has warned that these products have not been demonstrated to be safe or effective for any medical use. The American College of Medical Toxicology has highlighted concerns about opioid-like intoxication, respiratory depression, dependence and withdrawal.

Kratom-Related Hospitalizations Are Rising

According to a University of Virginia study, hospitalizations linked solely to kratom rose from 43 in 2015 to 538 in 2025.

Poison centers recorded 901 exposures involving 7-OH between January and June 2026, compared with 593 during all of 2025.

Although these figures highlight growing concerns, they do not establish that concentrated 7-OH products caused the increase in kratom-related hospitalizations.

Kratom is not an FDA-approved treatment for pain, opioid withdrawal or any other medical condition. Its long-term health effects remain incompletely understood.

China has issued a plague-risk alert following the suspected plague-related death of a 28-year-old researcher at a laboratory in Irkutsk, Siberia. However, Russia maintains that no plague outbreak has occurred.

According to state-run newspaper Global Times, the Hulunbuir Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region issued a plague-prevention notice on Sunday. Hulunbuir shares a border with Russia.

The advisory cited international attention surrounding the Russian case and the region's history of natural plague activity, while noting that the cause of the researcher's death has not been officially confirmed.

The Hulunbuir CDC said the city last recorded human plague cases in 1927. Routine surveillance in recent years has also detected no plague outbreaks among local rodent populations. Based on its risk assessment, the likelihood of a local outbreak remains low.

What Did Hulunbuir CDC Advise?

Also read: The Black Death Bacterium Still Exists: From Medieval Europe To Modern-Day Outbreaks

The authority advised people arriving from plague-endemic areas in Russia's Far East to monitor their health and seek prompt medical attention if they develop suspected symptoms. Travelers should disclose their travel history to facilitate diagnosis and treatment.

Residents were also urged to follow preventive measures, including routine health monitoring, environmental disinfection and prompt reporting of suspected symptoms.

Earlier, Hunan province, which does not border Russia, also released recommendations on plague symptoms and prevention.

What Happened In Russia?

Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old researcher at the Anti-Plague Research Institute in Irkutsk, was hospitalized with severe pneumonia on September 29 and died on October 2, according to media reports.

Reports raised concerns about possible pneumonic plague, caused by Yersinia pestis. However, Russian authorities have said that tests did not detect plague or other dangerous pathogens.

On October 8, regional governor Igor Kobzev said quarantine measures and medical monitoring of contacts had been completed. Nearly 5,000 laboratory tests had found no dangerous pathogenic microorganisms, according to reports.

What Has The WHO Said?

Read More: Russia Plague Scare: WHO Reiterates Biosafety Rules Despite No Confirmed Lab Accident

The World Health Organization (WHO) said in a Disease Outbreak News update published on October 10 that the overall public health risk remained low, based on the information available.

The agency found no evidence of ongoing transmission of pneumonic plague linked to the incident. However, the cause of the researcher's fatal pneumonia remains unexplained.

The WHO noted that the absence of a confirmed diagnosis remained a key uncertainty. Given the researcher's employment at an institution handling high-risk pathogens, the agency said a laboratory-associated exposure could not be fully excluded.

Which Other Countries Are Taking Precautions?

Several countries have reportedly strengthened border surveillance and public-health precautions following the Russian case.

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have announced measures to prevent the potential introduction of highly dangerous infectious diseases, according to regional reports and official statements.

Kyrgyzstan's Health Ministry said border checkpoints had been placed on heightened alert. Sanitary and epidemiological surveillance covers people, vehicles and cargo crossing the country's borders to prevent the entry and spread of infectious diseases.

Uzbekistan's Sanitary-Epidemiological Committee also announced enhanced preparedness among relevant services to prevent the entry and spread of highly dangerous infectious diseases.

READ: Russia Plague Scare: Could It Trigger A New Pandemic? Experts Explain

European Union And United States

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is monitoring the situation. According to its assessment, the limited information available indicates no reported secondary cases and no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission that could drive further spread.

US officials are also monitoring the case. CDC Director Erica Schwartz said the agency was prepared to monitor and screen travelers.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was watching reports of possible plague but that the situation was not a “cause for alarm.”

“We're watching and monitoring it closely. I don't think it's cause for alarm – but it is cause for focus and a cause to just keep an eye on it. And we're doing that,” Rubio said.

Climate change, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and obesity are among 17 threats that could cause massive losses of healthy life by 2100, according to a new report by The Lancet Commission on 21st Century Global Threats to Health.

Launched at the World Health Summit 2026 in Berlin, the report draws on risk analysis across 204 countries and territories to identify threats that could have catastrophic consequences for global health.

“Humanity still has the agency to act,” said Commission co-chair Professor Christopher JL Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, warning that delays would increase future costs.

What Are The 17 Global Health Threats?

Also read: Over 2 Hours of Daily Screen Time Linked to Depression, Obesity In Young People: Lancet

The Commission classified a threat as catastrophic if it could account for at least one billion disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) by 2100, could be modelled using available data and offered scope for policy intervention.

DALYs measure healthy years lost to illness, disability or premature death.

The 17 threats are:

1. Obesity
2. Low educational attainment
3. Income inequality
4. Malicious use of artificial intelligence (AI)
5. Nuclear conflict
6. Poor mental health
7. Unhealthy ageing
8. Smoking
9. Conventional conflict
10. High blood pressure
11. Antimicrobial resistance
12. High alcohol use
13. Pandemics
14. Climate change
15. Air pollution
16. Collapse of development assistance for health
17. Childhood malnutrition

These estimates reflect potential health losses that interventions could avert, not the urgency or priority of each threat. Risks with lower estimated burdens may still require urgent action because of their potential consequences.

“The estimates highlight how much health loss could be avoided in each area,” Murray said, noting that the threats are interconnected and must be addressed together rather than in isolation.

Obesity Could Cost 23.1 Billion Healthy Life-Years

Obesity represents the largest estimated burden of potentially avoidable health loss among the 17 threats, with 23.1 billion DALYs projected between 2025 and 2100 under the Commission's assessment.

The obesity risks linked high body mass index, poor diet and physical inactivity.

Other estimates include 16.1 billion DALYs associated with low educational attainment, 13.8 billion with income inequality, 10.4 billion with malicious use of AI and 9.4 billion with nuclear conflict.

Climate Change Could Cost Billions Of Healthy Life-Years

Read More: WHO Cautions Against GLP-1s As First-Line Treatment For Childhood Obesity, Prioritises Lifestyle Changes

Limiting global warming to around 1.8°C, rather than allowing it to reach 4.4°C, could prevent an estimated 1.89 billion healthy life-years from being lost to causes including extreme heat and air pollution.

The estimate excludes some harder-to-measure impacts, such as displacement, drought, economic disruption and mental health problems, meaning the overall burden could be greater. Without substantial emissions cuts, climate-related health losses could accumulate beyond 2100 and worsen other global health threats.

“This Lancet Commission offers a radical conceptual shift in the way we think about future threats to human survival,” said Dr Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of The Lancet, calling for coordinated action across sectors.

The Commission's Call To Action

The Commission calls for sustained investment, stronger preparedness and regular risk monitoring. It urges governments and other stakeholders to coordinate action across sectors to reduce preventable health losses.

The report brings together 35 commissioners from health, economics, security, governance and technology to assess threats to global health over 2025–2100.