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Personality and coronary heart disease
R B Shekelle1, S W Vernon, A M Ostfeld
1University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston.
Psychosomatic Medicine
|March 1, 1991
Summary
Psychological distress, including neuroticism and somatic complaints, predicts uncomplicated angina but not heart attacks or coronary death. These traits may indicate a benign condition, not coronary heart disease itself.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Psychological Medicine
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Psychological distress and personality traits are explored for their association with cardiovascular disease.
- Previous research has yielded mixed results regarding the link between psychological factors and coronary heart disease incidence and outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between specific Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) variables and the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) events.
- To examine the relationship between these psychological variables and the risk of coronary death following a myocardial infarction diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- A 10-year prospective cohort study involving 2003 middle-aged employed men.
- Assessment of three MMPI variables: HsK + Hy, neuroticism, and somatic complaints.
- Analysis of incidence of uncomplicated angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and coronary death.
Main Results:
- HsK + Hy, neuroticism, and somatic complaints were positively associated with the incidence of uncomplicated angina pectoris.
- These psychological variables were not significantly associated with the incidence of myocardial infarction or coronary death.
- A negative association was found between these variables and the risk of coronary death after an angina diagnosis.
- HsK + Hy and somatic complaints were positively associated with the risk of coronary death in men who had previously survived a myocardial infarction.
Conclusions:
- Psychological distress and somatic complaints are linked to uncomplicated angina, a condition potentially distinct from atherosclerotic coronary heart disease.
- These traits may not increase the risk of developing coronary heart disease but could be associated with increased susceptibility to arrhythmias in individuals with existing ischemic myocardium.