Patients with a heart attack who are irritable or sarcastic were found to put their health at risk, stated research.
Patients with a heart attack who are irritable or sarcastic were found to put their health at risk, revealed research published today in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). "Hostility is a personality trait that includes being sarcastic, cynical, resentful, impatient or irritable," said study author Dr. Tracey Vitori of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, US. "It's not just a one-off occurrence but characterizes how a person interacts with people. We know that taking control of lifestyle habits improves the outlook for heart attack patients, and our study suggests that improving hostile behaviors could also be a positive move."
‘Hostility was an independent predictor of dying from a second heart attack after adjusting for other factors that could affect the relationship, including sex, age, education, marital status, diabetes, high blood pressure, and smoking.’
This is one of the largest and most comprehensive studies examining the association between hostility and heart attack outcomes. The study involved 2,321 heart attack survivors, mostly men (68%) with an average age of 67 years. Using the Multiple Adjective Affect Checklist (MAACL), hostility was measured at baseline. They were followed for 24 months for recurrent heart attacks and death. 57% of patients were scored as hostile according to the MAACL. Study Outcomes Hostility is a common trait in heart attack survivors linked to poor outcomes and did not predict recurrent heart attacks. Adding an assessment of hostility may help spot patients at premature death risk.Education on the potential impact of hostility could motivate behavioral changes.
Tips to prevent heart diseases
- Smoking cessation/quit smoking
- Increase physical activity
- Eat a balanced and nutritious diet
- Take proper care of your mental health
Source-Medindia