Fatigue, irritability, and demoralization can have an adverse effect on the heart, according to a recent study.

The combination of fatigue, increased irritability, and feeling demoralized is medically known as vital exhaustion. Researchers at Mount Sinai St. Luke's and Mount Sinai Roosevelt hospitals found that vital exhaustion could raise risk of cardiovascular disease by 36 percent.

"Our study shows vital exhaustion is an important risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease in otherwise healthy people," Randy Cohen, lead author of the study and medical director of the University Medical Practice Associates at Mount Sinai St. Luke's and Mount Sinai Roosevelt, said in a statement. "Loss of vitality thus adds to a growing number of psychosocial risk factors that have now been linked to the development of cardiovascular disease, including anxiety, depression, and social isolation."

In their study, Mount Sinai researchers found that vital exhaustion was associated with a dramatic increase in risk for first-time cardiovascular disease when compared to people not experiencing these three psychological factors.

Study researchers investigated the relationship between vital exhaustion and first-time heart disease in 11 prospective studies that involved more than 60,000 people without heart disease. The studies had an average follow-up of 6.5 years.

"The identification of vital exhaustion as a coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factor appears timely," said study co-author Alan Rozanski. "As society becomes increasingly fast paced, there is an increasing tendency for people to overwork while cutting back on sleep, exercise, and the rest and relaxation we all need to renew ourselves and prevent the factors that cause vital exhaustion."

The findings were presented on Nov. 17 at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2014 in Chicago.