American Heart Association: Anger's Role in Heart Attack Risk May Start in the Arteries

Short bursts of anger may temporarily damage the ability of blood vessels to properly dilate, a function believed to be pivotal in preventing arteries from hardening, new research suggests.

Dr. Suzanne Arnold, a cardiologist at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute who was not involved in the research, said the findings shed light on why bursts of anger may lead to cardiovascular disease.

"This is interesting because it helps to explain something we've seen over and over again," she said. "There's plenty of data that have shown acute anger increases the risk for heart attacks, but the mechanism by which that happens is not really understood."

Read the full American Heart Association article: Anger's Role in Heart Attack Risk May Start in the Arteries