C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD
Medical Director Cedars-Sinai Women's Heart Center
Director, Preventive and Rehabilitative Cardiac Center
Women's Guild Chair in Women's Health
Researchers have long known that men who exhibit anger and hostility increase their risk of heart disease. But what about women? With this question in mind, a team of researchers at Cedars-Sinai conducted a study of more than 630 women with suspected coronary artery disease.
Results of the new study, which were published in a recent issue of the Journal of Women's Health, suggest that anger and hostility alone aren't predictors of heart disease in women. However, women who outwardly express anger may increase their risk of heart disease if they also have other risk factors, such as a history of diabetes or unhealthy levels of fats (lipids) in their blood. A woman's risk of heart disease also increases with age.
The study also observed that the overt expression of anger by women can have "toxic" effects. Researchers analyzed a variety of measures related to anger including cynicism, hostile temperament, aggression and suppressed anger. Of these, it was found that only expressed anger could be linked to an increased risk of heart disease, and only when other risk factors also were present.
"Our results appear to differ from the literature on men, particularly young men, in which hostility scores are found to be associated with coronary artery disease," said Dr. Bairey Merz. "However, the new data indicates that anger and hostility in women, as in men, do tend to cluster with adverse risk factors. By beginning to understand the psychosocial factors that play a role in the development of heart disease in women, we hope to develop more effective diagnostic tools."
- Women's Heart Program at Cedars-Sinai Heart Center
- Cedars-Sinai Heart Center
- S. Mark Taper Foundation Imaging Center (Coronary Calcium Scan)
