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Hostility, age, and mortality in a sample of cardiac patients

Stephen H Boyle1, Redford B Williams, Daniel B Mark

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA. shboyle@duke.edu

The American Journal of Cardiology
|June 28, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Hostility predicts survival in coronary artery disease patients. This association was significant only in younger patients, indicating age modifies the impact of hostility on cardiac patient survival.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Psychosomatic Medicine
  • Health Psychology

Background:

  • Coronary artery disease (CAD) poses a significant health burden.
  • Psychological factors, such as hostility, are increasingly recognized as potential contributors to cardiovascular outcomes.
  • Understanding predictors of survival in CAD patients is crucial for clinical management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate hostility as a predictor of survival in patients with documented coronary artery disease.
  • To determine if age modifies the relationship between hostility and survival in this patient group.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 1,328 patients with documented coronary artery disease was studied.
  • Hostility was assessed as a predictor variable.
  • Survival data was analyzed, controlling for disease severity and age.

Main Results:

  • A significant interaction between age and hostility was observed.
  • Hostility was significantly associated with poorer survival.
  • This association was evident specifically in younger patients (age <61.2 years).

Conclusions:

  • Hostility is a significant predictor of poorer survival in younger patients with coronary artery disease.
  • Age is a critical factor modulating the impact of hostility on survival in CAD.
  • Clinical assessment of hostility may be particularly relevant for younger CAD patients.

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