What is the relationship between anger and increased risk of death?

A study, conducted by Columbia University in New York, found that temper tantrums can increase the risk of death by damaging the heart and blood vessels.

The study included 280 participants who performed one of 4 emotional tasks. They had to either recall a personal memory that triggered their anger, recall a specific anxiety memory, read a series of depressing sentences, or repeatedly count to 100 to induce a neutral state.

The research team found that anger caused blood vessels to dilate by about twice as much for up to 40 minutes.

The researchers said that the cells in the blood vessels stop working properly in cases of anger due to bad memories, which leads to restricted blood flow and increased pressure on the heart, thus increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

They explained that anxiety and sadness do not threaten the same health damage that anger causes.

Study author Professor Daiichi Shimpo said: “Other studies have linked negative emotions with a heart attack or other cardiovascular events. We saw that anger arousal led to disruption of the blood vessels, which is associated with an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Investigation may help in investigating Essential links in identifying effective targets for necessary medical intervention.

Professor Glenn Levine, from Baylor College of Medicine, said of the findings: “This study adds to the growing evidence base that mental health can influence cardiovascular health.”

The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.