When you are angry, it isn’t all in your head.
Newly published research shows that anger may go directly to your heart causing a change in rhythm.
The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, shows that anger can cause arrhythmias, a malfunction in the impulse that sends an electronic signal for your heart to beat. Arrhythmia can cause congestive heart problems or increase the risk of stroke.
Researchers from Yale University School of Medicine looked at 62 patients, all with implanted cardioverter-defibrillators which monitor heart rhythm. When the heart gets out of a regular beat, the device will shock the patient back into a regular rhythm.
Researchers asked participants to describe a recent event when they felt angry or aggravated. They then looked at the heart beats through a T-wave alternan (TWA) to see whether anger-induced TWA predicted future arrhythmia.
They found that anger recall led to electrical instability in the heart beat.
Those with the highest instability were 10 times more likely to have an arrhythmia over the next three years, researchers say. Researchers concluded that anger-induced TWA predicts future ventricle arrhythmias in patients with implantable devices.
In the future, a mental stress test could be added to an exercise text to predict the heart’s electrical stability.
Anger Management
Frequently when people are asked what triggered a heart attack, they will say they were angry. The Mind/Body Institute at Emory University in Atlanta finds that stress from an earthquake or war can lead to sudden cardiac death.
Anger management involves behavioral changes requiring the person understand the reason behind their anger, Dr. Charles Raison tells CNN. A childhood association can carry over into adulthood unless it is thoroughly understood.
The Mind/Body Institute also reports that individuals who engage in compassion meditation may benefit by reductions in inflammation and in a behavioral response to stress and depression.
The Mayo Clinic advises taking a “time out” with the person who made you angry. Forgiveness is an important component to quieting anger.
Certain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), which work for depression may also make people less irritable. Anger frequently masks depression.
Meditation and exercise are known to reduce anger. Meditation produces a tranquil mind that leads to emotional stability long after the meditation session ends. #