A new study found a stress gene that can increase the risk of a person of dying from heart attack or heart disease by up to 38 percent.

Researchers from the Duke University led by associate professor Beverly Brummett identified a “stress gene” linked to the body overproducing cortisol, a hormone responsible for the regulation of blood pressure and insulin release for blood sugar maintenance. This stress gene, dubbed as 5HTR2C gene which was also linked to bipolar disorder, is both present on both genders but is more prevalent on men.

"This is very exciting, but it's very preliminary. It certainly merits further investigation," Brummett told WebMD. "Down the line, if the findings were replicated, then the next step would be to test people [on a widespread basis] for the gene and watch them more closely."

The researchers analyzed the medical records of 6,000 patients diagnosed with heart diseases. They found that 17 percent of the male participants had shown genetic change as a result of them being under so much stress. On the other hand, three percent of the female participants showed similar observations.

After the seven-year follow up period and considering other factors such as age, obesity and smoking, the research team concluded that the stress gene increased the risk of the patients dying from heart attack by up to 38 percent.

The researchers believe that their study will be very beneficial in making improvements on the existing stress management therapies and drug therapies of patients at risk.

Dr Redford Williams, director of the Behavioural Medicine Research Center at Duke University School of Medicine, who is not part of the study, told BBC: "This is one step towards the day when we will be able to identify people on the basis of this genotype who are at higher risk of developing heart disease in the first place."

The study was published in the December 18 issue of PLOS One.