When we are angry, our pulse rate increases, our hearts beat more quickly, our heads feel like they are about to explode, and our blood typically gushes through our veins. Even if rage has certain physiological characteristics, might it also have deeper, more harmful effects? A recent study found that anger can raise the risk of heart attack and stroke in as little as eight minutes. According to the research, there is a connection between a “increased risk of heart attack” and a “acute episode of anger.” Continue reading to learn more.

How the Research Was Performed

280 “healthy adults” were allegedly invited by researchers, who then “randomly” divided them into four groups. The individuals recounted incidents and situations that left them feeling “angry, sad, or anxious.” It’s interesting to note that for eight minutes, members of the control group “repeatedly counted” from 1 to 100 aloud while “maintaining a neutral emotional state.” Before and after the study, the participants’ “blood samples” and “measurements of blood flow and pressure” were examined.

Previous research has established a connection between the risk of heart disease in the future with emotions such as anger, worry, and melancholy. One possible explanation for anger’s “adverse effects” on health and disease is that it has “adverse effects on vascular health,” or the health of blood vessels.

Blood Vessel Dilation Capability

The ‘angry’ group’s’ members’ blood vessel dilatation capacity was’significantly diminished’. In actuality, the dilatation of blood vessels in those who belonged to the “sadness” and “anxiety” groups was unaffected. The muscle within blood vessels regulates the vessel’s width and constriction at any given moment, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Vasodilation is the widening of blood vessels; vasoconstriction is the narrowing of blood vessels. Vascular dilation and contraction can alter the amount of blood that reaches different areas of the body.

How Do Strokes Occur?

An ischemic stroke, according to the Mayo Clinic, happens when there is a reduction or blockage of blood flow to a portion of the brain, depriving the brain tissue of oxygen and nutrition. After then, brain cells start to die. Hemorrhagic strokes are another kind of stroke that happen when a blood artery in the brain rupture or leaks, causing bleeding inside the brain. The blood destroys brain cells by putting them under increased strain.

Heart Attack: What Is It?

When there is a significant reduction or obstruction in the blood supply to the heart, a heart attack happens. The accumulation of fat, cholesterol, and other materials in the (coronary) arteries is typically the cause of the obstruction. The process of plaque accumulation is known as “atherosclerosis,” and the fatty, cholesterol-containing deposits are referred to as plaques.