Anger even for a few minutes may trigger heart attacks
A study found that recalling angry experiences led to impaired blood vessel function
(Web Desk) - When people get angry, even for a few minutes, the function of cells lining the blood vessels can be impacted, which may restrict blood flow.
A new study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, suggests that a brief episode of anger can trigger heart diseases, heart attacks and strokes.
This research, conducted with young adults, found that recalling angry experiences led to impaired blood vessel function, a known factor in cardiovascular events.
Although none of the participants had heart attacks or strokes during the study, their blood vessel health was negatively impacted after recalling angry memories.
Daichi Shimbo, from Columbia University and lead author of the study, highlighted that this could be particularly concerning for people with existing health issues.
"Observational studies have linked feelings of negative emotions with having a heart attack or other cardiovascular disease events.
The most common negative emotion studied is anger, and there are fewer studies on anxiety and sadness, which have also been linked to heart attack risk," said Daichi Shimbo.
Previous studies have hinted at a link between intense emotions and heart attacks, with some reporting a higher likelihood of emotional upset before such events.
However, the underlying mechanisms were unclear.
To delve deeper, Shimbo and his team conducted experiments with 280 volunteers, inducing anger, anxiety, or sadness in some while others acted as controls.
Measurements included blood samples, blood pressure checks, and assessing blood vessel dilation capacity - a key indicator of heart health.
