Researchers in the United States have said brief moments of anger can impair the function of blood vessels, potentially raising the risk of a heart attack or stroke for up to 40 minutes.

Results of the new study are published in the ‘Journal of the American Heart Association’. To this end, the US scientists have warned that anger can kill. Study author Dr Daichi Shimbo, who is a professor of medicine at the Columbia University in the US said: “We saw that evoking an angered state led to blood vessel dysfunction.

“Though we don’t yet understand what may cause these changes.” However, the researchers described this effect as an ‘impairment in blood vessel dilation. According to them, interrupted supply of blood can, in theory, lead to a heart attack or stroke.

The researchers analysed data from 280 volunteers aged 26, on average, and found that tasks that recalled past events causing anger led to an impairment in blood vessel dilation, from zero to 40 minutes after the task. “The impairment was no longer present after the 40-minute mark. “There were no statistically significant changes to participants’ blood vessel linings at any time points after experiencing the anxiety and sadness emotional tasks.”