Anger Increases Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke: Study

Learning to curb negative emotions, particularly anger, may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and even cancer.When anger arises there’s often an accompanying physical display of tension in the body—a red and contorted face, sweating, weakness in the legs, a churning of the gut—you can feel the effects of fury. How might these physical manifestations of emotion affect the body?A recent study found that anger may lead to blood vessel damage, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. The study provides further physiological evidence that negative emotions could affect cardiovascular health. Previous observational studies have also found that negative emotions such as anger, anxiety, and sadness not only affect individuals mentally but also significantly harm physical health, increasing the mortality risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.The new study, published on May 1 in the Journal of the American Heart Association, randomly assigned 280 healthy adults to four tasks designed to evoke different emotions. These tasks included recalling events that made them angry, recalling events that made them anxious, and reading descriptors to evoke sadness. The control group was instructed to induce an neutral state by repeatedly counting to 100. Each task lasted eight minutes.The results showed that people who recalled past events that made them angry experienced impaired vasodilation function, which lasted for 40 minutes before returning to normal. Those who recalled feelings of anxiety and sadness did not show any significant changes.“We saw that evoking an angered state led to blood vessel dysfunction,” said Dr. Daichi Shimbo, the lead author of the study and a professor of medicine at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, in a press release. “Impaired vascular function is linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.”Dr. Glenn Levine, a clinical cardiologist and professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and member of the American Heart Association, stated, “This study adds nicely to the growing evidence base that mental well-being can affect cardiovascular health, and that intense acute emotional states, such as anger or stress, may lead to cardiovascular events.”Anger Outbursts Increase Short-Term Cardiovascular Disease RiskA systematic review by Harvard University indicated that compared to other times, the risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) or acute coronary syndrome increased by 4.74 times in the two hours following an anger outburst. Furthermore, the risk of ischemic stroke also increased by 3.62 times.Related StoriesThe study also found that the more intense the anger episode, the greater the risk. Within 15 minutes of an anger outburst, the incidence of ventricular arrhythmia increased by 1.83 times compared to other times; from 15 minutes to two hours afterward, the incidence increased by 1.35 times compared to other times.Furthermore, in the hour following intense anger, the incidence of ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation increased by 16.7 times compared to other times; after moderate anger, the incidence increased by 3.20 times.The researchers pointed out that while “the relative risk of a cardiovascular event following outbursts of anger is large and statistically significant,” the absolute risk is low for the general population as anger episodes are rare. However, for individuals already at high risk of cardiovascular disease or who experience frequent anger, the absolute risk of a cardiovascular event is high.Higher Frequency of Anger Increases Heart Disease Mortality RiskThe frequency of anger can also affect the incidence and mortality risk of cardiovascular disease in middle-aged and elderly individuals. In a study published in the European Heart Journal in 2022, a nine-year follow-up was conducted on 47,077 people ages 56 to 94. The results showed that frequent episodes of intense anger increased the risk of heart failure by 19 percent, atrial fibrillation by 16 percent, and cardiovascular disease mortality by 23 percent.The researchers also found that in men, the frequency of anger increased the incidence of heart failure by 30 percent, while in women, it only increased by two percent. Additionally, compared to participants without a history of diabetes, the frequency of anger increased the risk of heart failure by 39 percent in participants with a history of diabetes.The frequency of anger not only increases the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, but one study also found that expressing anger aggressively towards others was associated with a 14 percent increased risk of cancer mortality.Depression and Anxiety Linked to Increased Risk of Heart Attack and StrokeDr. Shimbo noted that anger is the most common negative emotion and that anxiety and sadness are also associated with the risk of heart attacks.Research has shown that anxiety and depression may heighten the risk of heart attacks and stroke

Anger Increases Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke: Study

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Learning to curb negative emotions, particularly anger, may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and even cancer.

When anger arises there’s often an accompanying physical display of tension in the body—a red and contorted face, sweating, weakness in the legs, a churning of the gut—you can feel the effects of fury. How might these physical manifestations of emotion affect the body?

A recent study found that anger may lead to blood vessel damage, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. The study provides further physiological evidence that negative emotions could affect cardiovascular health. Previous observational studies have also found that negative emotions such as anger, anxiety, and sadness not only affect individuals mentally but also significantly harm physical health, increasing the mortality risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The new study, published on May 1 in the Journal of the American Heart Association, randomly assigned 280 healthy adults to four tasks designed to evoke different emotions. These tasks included recalling events that made them angry, recalling events that made them anxious, and reading descriptors to evoke sadness. The control group was instructed to induce an neutral state by repeatedly counting to 100. Each task lasted eight minutes.

The results showed that people who recalled past events that made them angry experienced impaired vasodilation function, which lasted for 40 minutes before returning to normal. Those who recalled feelings of anxiety and sadness did not show any significant changes.

“We saw that evoking an angered state led to blood vessel dysfunction,” said Dr. Daichi Shimbo, the lead author of the study and a professor of medicine at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, in a press release. “Impaired vascular function is linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.”
Dr. Glenn Levine, a clinical cardiologist and professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and member of the American Heart Association, stated, “This study adds nicely to the growing evidence base that mental well-being can affect cardiovascular health, and that intense acute emotional states, such as anger or stress, may lead to cardiovascular events.”
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Anger Outbursts Increase Short-Term Cardiovascular Disease Risk

A systematic review by Harvard University indicated that compared to other times, the risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) or acute coronary syndrome increased by 4.74 times in the two hours following an anger outburst. Furthermore, the risk of ischemic stroke also increased by 3.62 times.

The study also found that the more intense the anger episode, the greater the risk. Within 15 minutes of an anger outburst, the incidence of ventricular arrhythmia increased by 1.83 times compared to other times; from 15 minutes to two hours afterward, the incidence increased by 1.35 times compared to other times.

Furthermore, in the hour following intense anger, the incidence of ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation increased by 16.7 times compared to other times; after moderate anger, the incidence increased by 3.20 times.

The researchers pointed out that while “the relative risk of a cardiovascular event following outbursts of anger is large and statistically significant,” the absolute risk is low for the general population as anger episodes are rare. However, for individuals already at high risk of cardiovascular disease or who experience frequent anger, the absolute risk of a cardiovascular event is high.
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Higher Frequency of Anger Increases Heart Disease Mortality Risk

The frequency of anger can also affect the incidence and mortality risk of cardiovascular disease in middle-aged and elderly individuals. In a study published in the European Heart Journal in 2022, a nine-year follow-up was conducted on 47,077 people ages 56 to 94. The results showed that frequent episodes of intense anger increased the risk of heart failure by 19 percent, atrial fibrillation by 16 percent, and cardiovascular disease mortality by 23 percent.

The researchers also found that in men, the frequency of anger increased the incidence of heart failure by 30 percent, while in women, it only increased by two percent. Additionally, compared to participants without a history of diabetes, the frequency of anger increased the risk of heart failure by 39 percent in participants with a history of diabetes.

The frequency of anger not only increases the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, but one study also found that expressing anger aggressively towards others was associated with a 14 percent increased risk of cancer mortality.
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Depression and Anxiety Linked to Increased Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke

Dr. Shimbo noted that anger is the most common negative emotion and that anxiety and sadness are also associated with the risk of heart attacks.
Research has shown that anxiety and depression may heighten the risk of heart attacks and strokes. A preliminary study presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in November 2023 analyzed follow-up data from 71,262 adults with an average age of 49. The results indicated that depression and anxiety increased the risk of heart attacks or strokes by approximately 35 percent and accelerated the development of new risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Specifically, 38 percent of participants developed a new risk factor during the follow-up period, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or Type 2 diabetes.
The American Heart Association stated in a scientific statement that there may be a causal relationship between psychological health and the biological processes and behaviors that lead to cardiovascular disease. Therefore, interventions to promote psychological health can benefit cardiovascular health.
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The Inseparable Connection Between Mental Well-Being and Physical Health

Dr. Jingduan Yang, founder and medical director of the Yang Institute of Integrative Medicine, emphasized in an interview with The Epoch Times that mental well-being has a significant impact on physical health. He explained that while the mind is often viewed as non-material, the distinction between material and non-material is relative, as everything is ultimately composed of matter.

Dr. Yang formerly served as an attending physician in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Here are some of his recommended methods for managing anger:

1. Practice mindfulness, as it can improve negative emotions. A study published in JAMA Psychiatry in 2022 conducted a clinical trial involving 276 adults with anxiety disorders. The study found that the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy after eight weeks was comparable to that of using escitalopram, a first-line medication, for treating anxiety disorders.
2. Maintaining healthy interpersonal relationships is crucial, as strained relationships often lead to feelings of pessimism or discouragement. Additionally, healthy social connections can significantly affect physical health. A scientific statement published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2022 highlighted the detrimental effects of social isolation and loneliness on heart and brain health. Specifically, social isolation and loneliness were linked to a 30 percent elevated risk of heart attack, stroke, or mortality from either condition.
3. It is important to show compassion, understanding, and forgiveness towards others, and to act kindly with goodwill and positive intentions in all situations. Maintaining this positive mindset requires conscious effort, especially when faced with unexpected events. Otherwise, it can lead to overreaction or anger, harming others and affecting one’s health. A study led by Harvard University indicated that forgiveness can reduce anxiety and depression, thereby enhancing mental well-being.

Dr. Yang also recommends taking a brief pause when feeling angry and practicing deep breathing, counting to ten, or simply walking away. These simple methods can help break the habit of reacting impulsively.

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