Losing your temper CAN cause a heart attack: Being angry increases the risk eightfold
A family row, road rage and work disputes are enough to send your blood pressure through the roof, invoking furious reactions.
But for those with a short fuse, new research has today warned, losing your temper could be having a negative impact on your health, the Daily Mail reports.
Having a violent temper increases the risk of a heart attack more than eightfold, scientists said.
And for those experiencing high levels of anxiety, the risk of suffering a heart attack in the hours after an outburst, is nine and a half times greater, they said.
Researchers noted patients with a suspected heart attack admitted to hospital were often found to have had a period of anger or anxiety before their attack.
They reported family rows, road rage or work disputes were all triggers.
The findings confirm previous research and anecdotal evidence that anger can trigger heart attacks and strokes.
It could pave the way for doctors to provide patients with training - or even medication - to reduce their anger and stress levels, to lower the risk of an attack, researchers said.
Dr Thomas Buckley, from the University of Sydney, Australia, said: 'While the absolute risk of any one anger episode triggering a heart attack is low, our data demonstrates that the danger is real and still there.'
He added the increased risk of a heart attack following intense anger or anxiety is 'most likely the result of increased heart rate and blood pressure, tightening of blood vessels and increased clotting, all associated with triggering of heart attacks'.
He said the findings 'add to the small, but growing, body of evidence linking acute emotional triggers with onset of a heart attack'.
The study investigated suspected heart attack patients admitted for primary angioplasty – a procedure to clear a blocked artery, which is the cause of a heart attack.
Newsfeed
Videos
Artur Vanetsyan: I think you'll see me more often at various events in future
