Stress in Minutes: Acute Anxiety Reconfigures Blood Clots

Eight healthy young men underwent a randomized crossover test. After an acute stress task, free-radical levels rose and blood clots became larger, denser, and more fibrin-rich, driven by activation of the intrinsic coagulation pathway, while blood viscosity did not change. The study links brief psychological stress to rapid biochemical and structural blood changes that may elevate clotting potential, though larger and more diverse studies are needed to understand cardiovascular implications.