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Giving vent to anger lessens risk of heart attack
Washington, Feb 02: Expressing anger outwardly can at times help reduce risk of stroke and heart disease in men.The study, published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine, found that men with moderate levels of anger expression had nearly half the risk of non-fatal heart attacks and a significant reduction in the risk of stroke compared to men with low levels of anger expression.
Washington, Feb 02: Expressing anger outwardly can at times help reduce risk of stroke and heart disease in men.
The study, published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine, found that men with moderate levels of anger expression had nearly half the risk of non-fatal heart attacks and a significant reduction in the risk of stroke compared to men with low levels of anger expression.
In the case of a stroke, the researchers found that the risk decreased in proportion to increasing levels of anger expression, reports Health Behaviour News Service.
The findings indicate "a more complex pattern of associations between anger and cardiovascular disease than previously described," according to Patricia Eng, Sc.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues.
"Moderate anger expression seems to be protective against cardiovascular disease over a limited follow-up period," Eng says.
The 23,522 study participants, men aged between 50 and 85, completed surveys that asked them to rate how often they behaved in certain ways when they were angry, choosing from options like "I argue with others," and "I do things like slam doors." Eng and colleagues also documented 328 cases of cardiovascular disease among the men in the two years following the survey.
Among healthy men with no prior history of cardiovascular disease, the protective effects of anger expression were unrelated to how often the men reported feeling angry. Among men who already had heart disease, however, an increased frequency of angry feelings was significantly associated with an increased risk of another bout of heart disease.
The study, published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine, found that men with moderate levels of anger expression had nearly half the risk of non-fatal heart attacks and a significant reduction in the risk of stroke compared to men with low levels of anger expression.
In the case of a stroke, the researchers found that the risk decreased in proportion to increasing levels of anger expression, reports Health Behaviour News Service.
The findings indicate "a more complex pattern of associations between anger and cardiovascular disease than previously described," according to Patricia Eng, Sc.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues.
"Moderate anger expression seems to be protective against cardiovascular disease over a limited follow-up period," Eng says.
The 23,522 study participants, men aged between 50 and 85, completed surveys that asked them to rate how often they behaved in certain ways when they were angry, choosing from options like "I argue with others," and "I do things like slam doors." Eng and colleagues also documented 328 cases of cardiovascular disease among the men in the two years following the survey.
Among healthy men with no prior history of cardiovascular disease, the protective effects of anger expression were unrelated to how often the men reported feeling angry. Among men who already had heart disease, however, an increased frequency of angry feelings was significantly associated with an increased risk of another bout of heart disease.
The study participants had low levels of anger expression compared to other groups who had taken the survey previously, possibly due to their age and relatively high socioeconomic status, say the researchers.
Individuals with high socioeconomic status are more likely to lead healthier lifestyles and to be in positions of power where they can express anger freely, which may modify any "potentially toxic effects of anger or hostility," the researcher adds.
Bureau Report