A Bad Attitude Is Hard on the Heart

A Bad Attitude Is Hard on the Heart

If you have heart disease, hanging on to hostile feelings may increase your chance of having a heart attack.

Older women with heart disease took a test to measure hostility, which included feelings of anger or distrust. Those who scored high on the test were twice as likely to have a heart attack as the others.

What can help women get a handle on hostility? Experts suggest counseling, breathing exercises, relaxation therapy, or regular exercise.

American Journal of Epidemiology, Vol. 156, No. 12

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