A recent study reveals why frequent anger is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
The study was conducted by researchers led by Daiichi Shimbo, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and was published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association, and was reported by the Washington Post.
Study highlights the potential health risks associated with extreme anger and the impact of negative emotions on our overall health.
The study involved 280 healthy adults who were randomly assigned to a different 8-minute task, each designed to elicit feelings of anger, anxiety, sadness, or neutrality.
Before and after these emotional tasks,
the researchers assessed the participants’ endothelial health.
Endothelial cells, which line blood vessels, are essential for maintaining the integrity of blood vessels and are vital for healthy circulation and cardiovascular health.
The results revealed that anger had a significant negative effect on endothelial function, limiting the ability of blood vessels to expand. The effect was not evident with feelings of anxiety or sadness.