When we are angry, our heart rate and blood pressure increase.
Substances, such as endothelin, are released in our body and lead to constriction of blood vessels and greater clotting. An explosive cocktail, which can lead to the formation of clots and the obstruction of the arteries. The heart is then no longer irrigated with blood, and therefore it no longer receives oxygen. Consequence: a heart attack can occur.
Anger increases the risk of heart attack by two or three times
“Anger increases the risk of heart attack by two or three times, and we can go up to eight or ten times in the event of acute anger”, specifies cardiologist Jean-Pierre Houppe. Its role is also aggravating for other cardiovascular disorders and strokes, especially in individuals who already have high risk factors.
The physiological processes triggered by anger come from our distant evolutionary history and were useful in more hostile times: in the face of adversity, our body triggers biological survival mechanisms, such as better coagulation in the event of injury.
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