Stress, agitation and anger could lead to heart problems — that’s something we’ve always known.
But a new study from the American Heart Association gives us fresh insight into why that is, and doctors say the findings also show how these effects could be more widespread, even in healthy people.
“Episodes of anger, high emotion, emotional stress, affect them in a very short-term way in terms of how their blood vessels work,” said Dr. Sudip Saha, a cardiologist with Kaiser Permanente’s Mid-Atlantic Permanente Group.
Saha said even if you hardly ever lose your cool, very short episodes of high stress or agitation can still affect your heart.
“The body pumps out stress adrenaline hormones — what’s called catecholamines — and they actually constrict the blood vessels, raising blood pressure. It’s very much a fight or flight response,” he said.
He said the new AHA study illustrates the short term risks of high anger and stress in more detail, even in those who aren’t that predisposed to heart disease risk.
“Even those short term episodes can lead to things like a traditional heart attack, or stress-related cardiomyopathy or broken heart syndrome,” Saha warned.
He said stress-relieving exercises, mediation and focusing on what you can control are all good ways to cope.
“I think the people that do the best long-term are those who can take a step back,” Saha told WTOP.
“Breathing exercises has been shown to immediately reduce blood pressure sometimes,” he said. “Everyone should have a coping mechanism, something that can help them deal with situations in a way that doesn’t raise their blood pressure and potentially cause problems.”
He said an emphasis on mental health is also a big part of this.
“These things are linked,” he reflected. “It’s all about how we react to things, especially those that are out of our control.”
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