Ongoing, high levels of negative stress may directly and indirectly increase the danger of developing heart disease, depending largely on individual responses to that stress.

Stress is the physical and mental condition that results from an individual's response to real or perceived circumstances in their environment. This response may vary greatly from one person to another, due to upbringing, physical condition, environmental influences, and conscious as well as involuntary habits.

Different people respond to stressful situations in a variety of ways. It can be helpful to learn to recognize the symptoms and sources of stress, so that steps can be taken to reduce or manage it.