People with ADHD were considered to have DESR if they also reported emotional-control symptoms that were worse than those reported by 95% of a large comparison group of people without ADHD. More than half of those with ADHD enrolled in the study (55%) were also emotionally reactive.
If stress itself is a risk factor for heart disease, it could be because chronic stress exposes your body to unhealthy, persistently elevated levels of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. Studies also link stress to changes in the way blood clots, which increases the risk of heart attack.
Some of these risk factors put you at greater risk of heart disease than others. The more risk factors you have, the higher your chances of developing heart disease. The good thing is that you can break that chain of progressive disease at any point by working to reduce your controllable risk factors.