Angry? You can blow a gasket

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The emotional upset from earthquakes, the 9/11 attacks and other disasters has been shown in studies to increase the rates of sudden cardiac death. A study published today demonstrates just how greatly emotions -- anger, in this case -- may affect heart function in people with vulnerable hearts.

Researchers at Yale University studied 62 heart-disease patients who had implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. These small, battery-powered devices detect arrhythmias and correct the abnormal heartbeat by delivering a jolt of electricity to the heart. About three months after receiving the device, each study participant underwent a mental stress test, which involved being asked to recall a recent situation in which they were angry or aggravated. During the stress test, the researchers recorded something called T-wave alternans, a measure of the heart’s electrical stability. The participants were followed for 37 months to determine who had arrhythmias that were terminated by the implantable cardioverter-defibrillators.

The study showed that patients who experienced arrhythmias had higher T-wave alternans induced by anger compared to patients who did not have future arrhythmias. The study is the first evidence, say researchers, that changes brought on by anger (and probably other strong emotions) can predict arrhythmias and may be the cause of some cases of sudden cardiac arrest. More than 400,000 people die each year from a sudden heart attack. An increase in adrenaline provoked by anger may interrupt the function of the heart cells.

‘More research is needed, but these data suggest that therapies focused on helping patients deal with anger and other negative emotions may help reduce arrhythmias and, therefore, sudden cardiac death in certain patients,’ the lead author of study, Dr. Rachel Lampert, said in a news release.

The study will be published in the March 3 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

-- Shari Roan