Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. In addition to high cholesterol, smoking, and diabetes, research increasingly supports stress as an important risk factor. In fact, recent evidence demonstrates that the risk associated with stress is equal to that of smoking, obesity, and high blood pressure and far greater than the influence of diet and exercise. A national priority is to determine how stress influences heart disease risk in order to develop targeted interventions.

Sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and coordinated by researchers at the University of North Texas, the North Texas Heart Study is examining a variety of possible ways by which stress may increase heart disease risk. Participants have the opportunity to contribute to this important scientific question as well as learn about their own heart heath.