Rage to heart attack: Does uncontrolled anger really leads to hypertension?

Human psychology and physiology have an intimate relationship and there are proven correlations like lack of sleep causing ‘dopamine imbalance’ or social laughter potentially triggering ‘endorphin release’ but the link between uncontrolled anger and hypertension , is yet to be established fully. It is true that hypertension was once perceived merely as a physiological disorder however, it is now recognised as a multifaceted condition influenced by genetic, environmental and psychosocial factors. The Silent Threat: In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Ramakanta Panda, Cardiac Surgeon and Chairman of the Asian Heart Institute, shared, “Indian pop culture is dotted with dramatic moments in cinema, where an angry old man’s face turns blood red as he clutches his heart and drops down dead! Scientifically speaking, the path from rage to a heart attack is not as simple but the evidence in favour of anger, potentially leading to hypertension, which is a proven risk factor for heart disease, is mounting.

” Psychological Triggers of Heart Disease: In 2021, a Gallup poll revealed that anger, stress, worry and sadness were at record highs. Given the high incidence of ‘anger-related’ stress, Dr Ramakanta Panda revealed that its correlation with human physiology merits deeper understanding in the following ways - A. There is no conclusive evidence that anger itself causes long-term high blood pressure but the imperative to ‘calm down’ has never been higher.

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