Nightmare is a coronary-myocardium imbalance according to some authors
(1). It is based on a similar mechanism of an emotion and may produce
angina crisis and even acute coronary syndromes in cardiac patients. This
process is identified as decurrent of adenaline and noradrenaline release.
Parmar and Luque-Coqui found in 1998 (2) that an association between
dreams and sudden death is described in folklore and medical history, and
originates from the common experience of being awakened by vivid,
frightening dreams, with racing pulse, cold sweats and other physiological
responses associated with intense distress. Intense alterations in
autonomic activity during dreaming can have dire consequences in patients
with cardiovascular disease. They had four patients with no evidence of
underlying coronary artery disease, where emotional stress produced by
nightmares or 'deadly dreams' caused coronary artery dissection in two and
vasospasm in the other two, leading to life-threatening cardiac events.
Also they have speculated a possible mechanism for this relationship.
The case in discussion was in a 72 year old woman with a
history of longstanding hypertension, treated hypothyroidism, heart
failure, and chronic renal failure who developed nightmares five days
after taking atorvastatin for hypercholesterolaemia (3)
Carlos Monteiro
References:
1. Como Escapar da Cirurgia de Ponte de Safena e do Enfarte do Miocárdio
Só com Remédio, Q. H. de Mesquita, Book, Editora Ícone, 1991
Rapid Response:
Nightmare and heart disease patients
Nightmare is a coronary-myocardium imbalance according to some authors
(1). It is based on a similar mechanism of an emotion and may produce
angina crisis and even acute coronary syndromes in cardiac patients. This
process is identified as decurrent of adenaline and noradrenaline release.
Parmar and Luque-Coqui found in 1998 (2) that an association between
dreams and sudden death is described in folklore and medical history, and
originates from the common experience of being awakened by vivid,
frightening dreams, with racing pulse, cold sweats and other physiological
responses associated with intense distress. Intense alterations in
autonomic activity during dreaming can have dire consequences in patients
with cardiovascular disease. They had four patients with no evidence of
underlying coronary artery disease, where emotional stress produced by
nightmares or 'deadly dreams' caused coronary artery dissection in two and
vasospasm in the other two, leading to life-threatening cardiac events.
Also they have speculated a possible mechanism for this relationship.
The case in discussion was in a 72 year old woman with a
history of longstanding hypertension, treated hypothyroidism, heart
failure, and chronic renal failure who developed nightmares five days
after taking atorvastatin for hypercholesterolaemia (3)
Carlos Monteiro
References:
1. Como Escapar da Cirurgia de Ponte de Safena e do Enfarte do Miocárdio
Só com Remédio, Q. H. de Mesquita, Book, Editora Ícone, 1991
2. Killer dreams, Parmar MS, Luque-Coqui AF. Can J Cardiol., 1998
Nov;14(11):1389-91
3. Atorvastatin may cause nightmares, Peter J H Smak Gregoor, BMJ
2006;332:950 (22 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7547.950
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests