A recent study found that even brief episodes of anger can lead to changes in vascular function and, consequently, increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke. This phenomenon has also been observed in healthy young individuals. When study participants recalled an event that made them angry, their circulatory system displayed related symptoms. Although this did not directly trigger a heart attack or stroke, their vascular function was significantly affected.
The study also discovered that in the hour before a heart attack, individuals were significantly more likely to experience intense anger or depression compared to the same time on the previous day. While the specifics of how this mechanism works are not completely clear, early studies have suggested this idea. Researchers tested the immediate impact of different emotions on vascular function under experimental conditions with randomly selected volunteers. This included recalling an angry experience for 8 minutes and observing blood pressure, collecting blood samples, and assessing the ability for vascular dilation. Vascular dilation capacity is an important marker of vascular health and is closely related to the probability of a heart attack. Results showed that vascular dilation capacity decreased for about 40 minutes following the recollection of angry experiences by participants.
This indicates that even brief episodes of anger might have long-term adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. Although participants with anxious or sad emotions and those in the control group did not show a significant vascular response, the impact of anger was evident and holds long-term importance. The study notes that repeated negative emotions could lead to irreversible damage to the cardiovascular system.
The findings support previous observations that strong emotional episodes can occasionally trigger heart attacks. While regulating anger is not simple, anger management strategies could be an effective way to prevent such cardiovascular events. However, the regulation of emotions is complicated and intricate, involving psychological and behavioral aspects of individuals.
