The study, published in the AHA’s Circulation journal, analyzed 12,461 patients across 52 countries with an average age of 58, and found that rigorous physical activity combined with extreme emotional stress doubled the likelihood of a heart attack within an hour.
Lead author Dr. Andrew Smyth of Canada’s McMaster University said that high-impact exercise and emotional distress can have similar ramifications. "Both can raise blood pressure and heart rate, changing the flow of blood through blood vessels and reducing blood supply to the heart," he told the Guardian. "This is particularly important in blood vessels already narrowed by plaque, which could block the flow of blood leading to a heart attack."
Smyth offered that "Regular physical activity has many health benefits, including the prevention of heart disease, so we want that to continue. However, we would recommend that a person who is angry or upset who wants to exercise to blow off steam not go beyond their normal routine to extremes of activity."
Smyth said that people should not stop exercising, but if they find themselves working out while upset they should be careful not to go beyond normal personal workout limits.
British Heart Foundation senior cardiac nurse Maureen Talbot said that while high emotion and exercise can trigger a heart attack, these factors are not underlying causes, and says basic health precautions like a proper diet, not smoking and staying active can help stave off the likelihood.
