A short episode of anger may have adverse effects on the cells lining the blood vessels, according to a new study. The findings, published May 7, 2024, in the Journal of the American Heart Association, may help explain the long-observed link between negative emotions and an increased likelihood of heart problems.
For the study, 280 apparently healthy adults were randomly assigned to one of four tasks that lasted just eight minutes: recalling a personal memory that made them angry; recalling a time they felt anxious; reading a passage meant to evoke sadness; or repeatedly counting to 100 to evoke a neutral state. Researchers tracked changes in blood vessel dilation using special probes placed on the participants’ index fingers. They also measured markers of cell injury or reduced repair capacity in blood vessels before and then three, 40, 70, and 100 minutes after the task.
People in the anger group showed signs of impaired blood vessel function compared with the neutral group—an effect that lasted 40 minutes after the task. The anxiety and sadness groups showed no such changes.
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