New study says extreme emotions while exercising can increase risk of heart attack

We’ve heard it our whole lives: exercise can help reduce health risks, but add some emotion to the mix and it could actually be risky.

New research finds working out under extreme stress or while angry can actually triple the risk of having a heart attack within an hour of working out.

PRMC Chief Cardiologist Jeffrey Wieland tells 47 ABC this isn’t too surprising, “When you exercise you typically your blood pressure goes up so you can imagine if you’re exercising and angry your blood pressure is even higher.”

The Journal Circulation published this study Tuesday, which surveyed over 12,000 people in 52 countries, who suffered their first heart attack and the average age was only 58.

But Dr. Wieland says this shouldn’t deter people from working out, but should serve as a warning.

“Anger in its own right increases your risk of heart attack people with extreme anger problems have increased incidences of cardiac events so if you’re angry try to settle down a little bit before you do anything,” explains Dr. Wieland.

Jennifer Johnson from the Wicomico County Health Department agrees,”If they could just stand there and take a couple deep breaths to calm them I mean music sometimes calms people so people need to find within themselves to find what kind of calms them down.”

So like a good warm up can prevent you from pulling a muscle. It appears a good cool down mentally should come first.