Pushy people more at risk for heart attack, stroke

A study from the US National Institute on Aging shows that people who are annoyingly competitive or aggressive may have an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.

Researchers studied 5,600 Italians from four villages and found that those who were identified as having antagonistic personality traits also had thicker carotid arteries than villagers with more agreeable personalities. Thick carotid artery walls are considered a risk factor for strokes and heart attacks. The study also showed that the condition worsens over time. The group was tested again after three years, and researchers found that those people who were considered manipulative and short-tempered also had progressively thicker artery walls. “People who tend to be competitive and more willing to fight for their own self interest have thicker arterial walls,” said Angelina Sutin, lead author of the study published in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association. “Agreeable people tend to be trusting, straightforward and show concern for others, while people who score high on antagonism tend to be distrustful, skeptical and at the extreme cynical, manipulative, arrogant, and quick to express anger.” The personality traits of the study participants were determined through a standard personality test. Ultrasound was used to determine the thickness of the carotid arteries. Participants were also screened for other medical conditions that could impact the results. The study also found that women tended to have thinner carotid artery walls than men, though women who were considered antagonistic showed substantial thickening as well. The condition also stretched across age groups, with young people considered aggressive already showing a thickening.