How strong is your heart?

   Mental stress decreases the blood supply to the heart.(ischemia) Anger has a greater effect on blood supply to the heart. Anger and hostility are strongly related to heart attack

There are three tests which can assess the effect of the mental stress and anger on the blood supply to the heart.

• Mental arithmetic test 
• A speech task
• Anger recall test

These are psychological stress tests

Mental arithmetic test:

person is asked to subtract serially 7 from 3505 for 6 minutes. Subjects were rated on the basis of speed and accuracy

This test induces significant changes in ECG in patients with heart disease. and also in otherwise healthy individuals.

 

A speech task:

A potent psychological stressor, which reliably increases the blood pressure and heart rate. The person

speaks on a hypothetical situation in a department store where he is accused of stealing the belt he is wearing. The subject was given 3 minutes to prepare the speech and 3 minutes to give a speech defending himself and prove that he bought the belt he is wearing.









Anger recall test:

He is asked to recall an incident during the last 6 months, that still made him frustrated,angry and upset.Then he is asked to describe and recreate the incident





After each test, the subjects are rated how anxious and angry the task made them and how angry they were during the anger task compared to the anger during the recall test.




, It could also reveal the coronary heart disease in persons with a normal ECG both at rest and during exercise. 

Anger can damage your heart

    

Anger and hostility are strongly related to coronary heart disease. It affects pumping strength of heart

Angry outburst could trigger heart attack within hours.
It is not an ordinary anger, but an intense anger with hostile and destructive behavior

Events that trigger heart attack:

• Arguments with family members and others, 
• Work conflicts,
• Road rage.

What is the mechanism?

• Increased heart rate (palpitations)

• Spasm of blood vessels and rise in blood pressure

• Decrease blood supply to the heart (ischemia)

• Increased clotting of blood

• Fight or flight reaction:

      This involves release of stress hormones like adrenaline  
      and cortisol and there is a burst of energy.
      Now you are ready to fight an enemy or run away

• If this happens repeatedly, it causes wear and tear of artery walls

P.S.

We know physical risk factors for heart attack, but not aware of emotional risk factors.

Anger is the strong risk factor for heart attack.

We take care of diet, exercise, cholesterol, high B.P.

There is a need to control the anger and hostility. But the patient may not be convinced. On the other hand,he may justify his anger. 

There is a gym for exercise, there is statin for cholesterol, medicines for high B.P. and diabetes.
But there are no clinics which can tackle the anger in a professional manner. 

But if we can control the anger, it will help to a large extent to prevent a heart attack

It is not an easy task

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