Photograph by Craig Sunter
People with hot tempers and prone to angry outbursts may have an increased risk of a heart attacks or strokes, according to scientists.
In a report published in the European Heart Journal, researchers from Harvard School of Public Health did a meta-analysis of nine studies involving thousands of people and found that people are at an increased risk of a heart attack or stroke for up to two hours following an angry outburst.
During this period following an outburst, people are nearly five times more likely to have a heart attack and more than three times more likely to suffer a stroke than during the rest of their day, with people with a history of heart disease particularly susceptible.
The researchers also found that the increased risk was cumulative, with the increased risk from a single outburst once a month relatively low compared with those who frequently have episodes of anger.
The reason why these outbursts may be dangerous is still not clear, but the researchers say that it would be worth testing what protection stress-busting activities, such as yoga, may offer to avoid such complications.
