New York Times: "Triggers: Chill! You'll Give Yourself a Stroke"

Triggers: Chill! You'll Give Yourself a Stroke
By JOHN O'NEIL

New York Times, December 14, 2004

Anger appears to have a bigger effect on the onset of strokes than positive emotions, according to a study released yesterday.

The study also found that other negative emotions, in addition to sudden movements, like responses to startling events, appeared to act as triggers.

The study's lead researcher, Dr. Silvia Koton of the Israel Center for Disease Control, said many patients reported that stroke symptoms began after episodes of "overwhelming emotion."

For the new study, which was published in the journal Neurology, 200 patients were interviewed within a few days of a stroke and asked to rate their moods and recall notable events hour by hour for the day leading up to the start of their symptoms. The events and emotions in the two hours immediately before the stroke were then compared with what had been reported for the corresponding two-hour period the day before.

The study found that 43 patients experienced significant anger or negative emotions during the two hours before the stroke, but that only six reported them from the day before. The same pattern held concerning a sudden posture change in response to something unexpected: such events occurred to 24 patients just before having a stroke, but to only 2 the day before.

The effect was most pronounced among patients younger than 69, the study said.

Dr. Koton said further research might be able to identify the people most vulnerable to strokes set off by particular occurrences. "Although people cannot be told not to get mad, stress- and anger-coping programs can be offered to high-risk groups," he said.