A cartoon Angry Bird with a German voice actor, Christoph Maria Herbst. Anger puts people with cardiac disease in especial danger of heart attacks. – dpa File Photo
Rage and negative stress can trigger a life-threatening heart attack, meaning that if you have a heart that is already working flat out, you should do your best to avoid situations that make you flare up, an expert says.
Overweight patients, those who do little sport, anyone who eats too much fat and sugar and smokers are among the people who are considered high-risk when it comes to cardiovascular diseases.
Because of their poor health, so-called plaque can build up in their blood vessels, says Jana Boer, of the German Association of resident cardiologists.
“You can picture that as small injuries,” she explains.
In a stressful situation, such as when you argue with your partner or your boss or find yourself in a fit of rage for other reasons, the body enters a sort of emergency situation: it releases stress hormones, and the patient’s pulse and blood pressure go up.
As a consequence of that, the heart will not be getting enough oxygen. If one of the injured vessels tenses up or becomes blocked by a blood clot, the tissue behind it will die.
“That is what we call a heart attack,” Boer notes.
Within two hours of an attack, the affected tissue can still be saved. Later, that will no longer be possible.
People with cardiac issues should try to prevent the situation from getting that far.
“Relaxation techniques can help us deal with stress,” the expert says.
An even better option is to do endurance sports.
“Nordic walking and swimming are ideal for cardiac patients,” says cardiologist Boer.
Such sports ensure that the body will release fewer stress hormones.
As a further alternative, the expert recommends working with a psychologist to establish the best way to deal with stressful situations. Your primary care doctor can usually refer you to a suitable psychologist. – AFP