Psychological Aspects of Coronary Heart Disease.

摘要

For the clinician interested in the psychological management of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), it is critical to have some grasp of both developmental characteristics of patients prone to this disorder as well as knowledge of the acute precipitating influence of life stress. Confusion abounds regarding these two rather distinct areas. Crucial among the developmental influences upon CHD proneness seem to be occupation-education disparity (over-achievement), Type A coronary behavior, and chronic life dissatisfactions. One measure of life stress, recent life changes, appears to exert a marked influence upon clinical onset of CHD. Optimal treatment of patients with CHD can be achieved with a knowledge of both the physical and the psychological aspects of this disease. In addition to the management of physical risk factors for this disorder, group therapy has proven to be a successful approach in the rehabilitation of patients recovering from acute myocardial infarction. Group therapy is an approach which can combine education regarding heart disease and its management with discussion of relevant developmental and recent life stress issues. (Author)