What anger outbursts do to your body
A study published by the National Institutes of Health showed that a person who has frequent outbursts of anger increases their risk of cardiovascular events within two hours following the episode. They risk their health in three important ways.
- Heart attack - anger increases the risk for heart attack by 4.74 times within two hours if a person has a blocked artery. The problem is that most people are not aware they even have a blocked artery until they experience a serious health issue.
- Stroke - the risk for stroke as a result of anger outburst increases 3.63 times. The stroke is caused by a blood clot to the brain or bleeding within the brain during the 2 hours after an anger outburst.
- Abnormal heart rhythm - within the first 15 minutes of an anger outburst, a person increases 1.85 times their risk of having an abnormal heart rhythm, which can lead to cardiac arrest.
Just as damaging as cholesterol
The study pointed out that sudden outbursts of anger can be just as damaging to the heart as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. The solution is to seek anger management help if losing your temper is a recurring problem. Also make sure you get regular medical checkups to ensure your overall health remains good.
To read more, visit www.everydayhealth.com/columns/jared-bunch-rhythm-of-life/lose-temper-heart-health-risk/