Brief anger spells can heighten heart attack and stroke risks

This news has been read 583 times!

NEW YORK, May 1: A recent study suggests that even short bursts of anger can significantly affect blood vessel functioning, potentially increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. This discovery sheds light on why some individuals may experience cardiac events during emotional outbursts.

Conducted by researchers at Columbia University in New York, the study involved young adults without known health issues. Participants were instructed to recall past experiences that evoked anger while researchers monitored various aspects of their circulatory health. Although none of the participants suffered heart attacks or strokes during the study, they exhibited impaired blood vessel functioning associated with such cardiovascular events.

Daichi Shimbo, lead researcher and professor at Columbia University, highlights the implications of these findings, suggesting that intense emotions could exacerbate cardiac risks, particularly among individuals with existing health conditions.

Previous studies have hinted at a link between emotional upheavals and heart attacks. For example, research has shown that individuals are more than twice as likely to experience anger or emotional upset in the hour before a heart attack compared to the same period on a previous day. However, the underlying mechanism remained unclear until now.

To delve deeper, Shimbo and his team recruited 280 volunteers and subjected them to experiences inducing anger, anxiety, or sadness for eight minutes. A control group was asked to count upwards during the same period. Measurements included blood samples, blood pressure readings, and assessments of blood vessel dilation capacity, a key indicator of cardiovascular health.

Results revealed that participants asked to recall angry experiences exhibited a notable decline in blood vessel dilation capacity lasting approximately 40 minutes. This suggests that repetitive episodes of negative emotions could potentially lead to irreversible damage to cardiovascular health over time.

While the study focused on anger, researchers found no similar effects for anxiety or sadness. However, Andrew Steptoe from University College London notes that managing intense emotions like anger can be challenging. Nevertheless, Glenn Levine from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston acknowledges the study’s contribution to understanding the intricate relationship between psychological states and cardiovascular health, marking a significant step forward in this field of research.

This news has been read 583 times!