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Anger, Depression Boost Heart Risks: Studies

It's 'what we have all known,' says expert

By Matt Cantor, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 10, 2009 12:05 PM CDT

(Newser) – Anger, hostility, and depression can up the risk of heart disease, new studies suggest. Women with major depression could be more than twice as likely to suffer sudden cardiac death; and “chronically angry or hostile” people with no history may be 19% more likely to get heart disease, WebMD reports. Angry and hostile heart-disease sufferers also face a higher risk of a poor prognosis.

The studies, of course, don’t prove such links. But “there is clearly a link between depression, anger, anxiety, stress, and outcomes in heart disease,” says an expert. “What these papers tell us is what we have all known and anybody would accept—that being hostile and angry a lot of the time is bad for your health, being depressed is bad for your health.”

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

Depression could be bad for your heart, studies suggest. (Shutterstock)

Anger may increase the risk of heart disease, studies suggest. (Shutterstock)

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The biggest message that we try to get out to people is this is a risk factor and a health problem. This is something we have to talk about. The worst thing is to ignore it. - Philip Binkley, professor of medicine, Ohio State University

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Anger, Depression Boost Heart Risks: Studies