Anger suppression: its relationship to beta-adrenergic receptor sensitivity and stress-induced changes in blood pressure

While studies from diverse fields of research suggest a relationship between problems expressing anger and cardiovascular illness, few studies have provided a potential pathophysiological link of such a relationship. Forty-five males were classified according to one of three anger expression categories: those who did not suppress their anger (N = 13), those who partially suppressed their anger (N = 19), and those who definitely suppressed their anger (N = 13). For each, we determined lymphocyte beta-adrenergic receptor function and blood pressure responsiveness to a standardized mathematics stressor. Those subjects who routinely suppressed their expression of anger had increased beta-adrenergic receptor sensitivity (P = 0.01) (isoproterenol-stimulated cyclic AMP production) and a greater systolic blood pressure response to the stressor (P = 0.001). Anger suppression was unrelated to the subject's age, weight, or socioeconomic status. These findings may be germane to prior clinical and epidemiologic observations relating anger expression and cardiovascular illness.