14 DAY TRIAL // Bobby McFerrin is right. Manage your anger. Otherwise, you are very likely to die of heart attack. This is known. But it seems that nervous, worrying people are stalked by this as well.
A new study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), reveals that longstanding anxiety boosts the likelihood of heart attack.
"What we're seeing is over and beyond what can be explained by blood pressure, obesity, cholesterol, age, cigarette smoking, blood sugar levels and other cardiovascular risk factors", said Biing-Jiun Shen, Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Southern California, in Los Angeles.
Anxiety went beyond the effects of depression, anger, hostility, Type A behavior and other negative feelings.
"These psychological factors are important in predicting the risk of heart disease, but anxiety is unique. Older men with sustained and pervasive anxiety appear to be at increased risk for a heart attack even after their levels of depression, anger, hostility and Type A behavior are considered", said Shen.
The research team used information from the Normative Aging Study. The 735 male subjects were in good cardiovascular health in 1986.
Anxiety was assessed using four different measures. The first anxiety scale assessed psychasthenia, characterized by excessive doubts, obsessive thoughts and irrational compulsions. The second scale assessed social introversion (anxiety, insecurity and discomfort) in interpersonal and social situations. The third scale determined phobias (exaggerated anxieties or fears about animals, situations or objects). The fourth scale assessed the degree of tension in stress situations. Hostility, anger, Type A behavior, depression and negative emotions were determined separately. The research took in consideration smoking, alcohol consumption and diet.
Subjects within the first 15 % on each anxiety scale and on a scale of all four presented a boosted likelihood of heart attack, by about 30 to 40 %. Higher anxiety levels were correlated to increased values of heart attack risk.
"The good thing about anxiety is that it's very treatable. If someone is highly anxious-if they're suffering from panic attacks or social phobia or constant worry-we recommend therapy", said Shen.