These responses would be harmless if they occurred only occasionally, but in hostile individuals the part of the nervous system that slows things down becomes ineffective. The body stays in this heightened state all the time. There is no relief, even with sleep. The heart is particularly at risk when a person lives under these conditions. When the heart beats faster and pumps more blood, more wear and tear is sustained.
Damage occurs in the walls of the coronary arteries, which are the arteries that go to the heart.
This plaque accumulates to fill up the arteries much like a pipe that gets plugged with lime. Without blood, heart tissue dies. Numerous studies have shown that hostile personalities suffer more coronary blockages, Coronary heart disease, death from heart disease and second heart attacks. Certain studies have even predicted which participants would be diagnosed with these heart conditions. The first step is to recognize that you need practice to break the habit of hostility.