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Laughter May Prevent Heart Problems

Wed, 11/15/2000 - 1:00am — Karen Stevenson
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Laughter and an active sense of humor may help influence heart and artery disease, according to a study released at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2000 meeting. Researchers compared the humor responses of 150 patients, who had either suffered heart attacks or had undergone revascularization procedures such as angioplasty, to those of 150 healthy age-matched controls. Results showed that heart patients were 40% less likely than their healthy counterparts to laugh in a variety of common situations. Individuals with heart disease were less likely to recognize humor or use it as an adaptive mechanism, and they generally showed less ability to laugh, even in positive situations.

Michael Miller, M.D., director of the center for preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore reported the results of the study. "Because we know of many more factors that contribute to heart disease than factors that protect against it," Miller says, "the ability to laugh - either naturally or as learned behavior - may have important implications in certain societies such as the United States, where heart disease remains the number one killer."

Miller says that the theory that laughter may release some "endothelial protectants" is an attractive hypothesis that will require further study. Theoretically, if laughter releases protective chemicals in the body, laughing during anger may counteract potential adverse effects to the endothelium. While stress may be associated with a sense of urgency, anger and hostility, and a "hearty" laugh often coincides with a feeling of well being and euphoria.

Laughter and an active sense of humor may help influence heart and artery disease, according to a study released at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2000 meeting. Researchers compared the humor responses of 150 patients, who had either suffered heart attacks or had undergone revascularization procedures such as angioplasty, to those of 150 healthy age-matched controls. Results showed that heart patients were 40% less likely than their healthy counterparts to laugh in a variety of common situations. Individuals with heart disease were less likely to recognize humor or use it as an adaptive mechanism, and they generally showed less ability to laugh, even in positive situations.

Michael Miller, M.D., director of the center for preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore reported the results of the study. "Because we know of many more factors that contribute to heart disease than factors that protect against it," Miller says, "the ability to laugh - either naturally or as learned behavior - may have important implications in certain societies such as the United States, where heart disease remains the number one killer."

Miller says that the theory that laughter may release some "endothelial protectants" is an attractive hypothesis that will require further study. Theoretically, if laughter releases protective chemicals in the body, laughing during anger may counteract potential adverse effects to the endothelium. While stress may be associated with a sense of urgency, anger and hostility, and a "hearty" laugh often coincides with a feeling of well being and euphoria.