Alternative Health Blog

Venting might seem like a good thing for our emotional health. But be clear with yourself with how venting might cross over into anger or hostility or both.

The type A personality long ago weaved its way into American culture and has been considered—inaccurately—to put a person at increased risk of heart attack. As it turns out, the “type H” personality appears more in the danger zone for cardiac episodes. That would be “H” as in hostile.

For more than a decade, Dr. Redford Williams, a behavioral medicine specialist at Duke University, has been producing studies to make the type H case. A new study from the Yale School of Medicine provides more evidence. It shows that anger creates electrical charges in the heart that can put you at risk.

The Yale researchers tracked 62 volunteer subjects who have implanted defibrillators. The devices allowed the scientists to monitor the heart’s natural electrical impulses.

Here’s something to make you consider anger-management classes or at least taking a deep breath before getting too angry next time: Tracking such anger-fueled electrical currents can help predict a “serious heart-rhythm disturbances over the next three years,” according to the study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

"The most important finding from this study is that it tells us the mechanism by which anger and strong emotions may be linked to sudden death," said lead researcher Dr. Rachel Lampert, of Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut."It tells us that yes, anger really does cause electrical changes in the heart."

Lampert and her associates are following up with study to confirm whether anger control indeed helps reduce electrical current damage to the heart. But why wait? Redford Williams says you can start now by deciding what in your life is really worth taking a stand—then letting go of those things that are just not as critical.

In his case, Williams said he and his wife (also a research colleague) formerly clashed over departure time from their home, especially on church mornings, because she took too long to get ready. Williams finally realized it just wasn’t worth the energy and angry moments. He would get ready, then relax and wait with no mental simmering allowed. It worked for both his heart and calmer Sundays.

 Bob Condor blogs for Alternative Health Journal every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.