Cardiac risk an outburst away

People who lose their temper are nearly five times more likely to have a heart attack and more than three times more likely to suffer a stroke within two hours of an outburst.

In the first study of its kind, experts found the risk of cardiac arrest increases dramatically among people with existing heart problems who get angry many times a day. But the risk can still increase among those who lose their temper less frequently and have better heart health.

Dr Murray Mittleman of the Harvard School of Public Health suggests that doctors should check patients' anger levels when they make health assessments and prescribe drugs. "It is important to recognise that outbursts of anger are associated with higher risk of heart attacks, stroke and arrhythmia," he said.

He said regular use of statins lowers long-term risk, which in turn lowers the risk from each episode of anger .