A study published on May 1 in the Journal of the American Heart Association demonstrated that even brief moments of anger affect the health of veins and arteries. The investigation showed that, when exposed to rabies, the blood vessels become more tense, which hinders the correct flow of blood.
The research measured the immediate impact of negative emotions on heart health. Scientists monitored the blood flow and heart rate of a group of 280 adults. Before the tests, the volunteers had undergone previous assessments that indicated they did not have heart problems.
Participants were divided into three groups: those in the first group had to remember an episode in which they felt very angry, those in the second group needed to remember a sad day and, finally, those in the third group had to count to 100, with the aim of remaining emotionally neutral during the research.
The researchers discovered that just the memory of a moment of anger was enough to cause changes in the volunteers’ blood circulation, which led to a state called hyperemia.
Hyperemia is a state in which blood circulates faster and is sent to vital regions. It occurs as a reaction to an exceptional situation and can cause minor damage to the capillaries. It’s hyperemia that makes us red with rage.
The recurrence of this state can lead to a compromise in the ability of blood vessels to relax, which combined with atherosclerosis, increases the chances of heart attack and stroke.
