[Nosogeny in "silent" myocardial ischemia]

Psychical reactions to ischemic cardiac disease (ICD) without angina pectoris in 29 patients with "silent" myocardial ishemia were investigated. It was demonstrated that both hypo- and hypernosognosias were observed in such patients. The former were presented by antihypochondria in individuals with hyperthymic or expansive schizoid personal features meanwhile the latter--by neurotic hypochondria in patients with hysterical characteristics. The severity of somatic state as well as myocardial ischemia manifestation were the same both in hypo- and hypernosognosias patients. There were no syndromal differences in reactions both to "silent" ischemia and on manifested forms of ICD. Psychological studies resulted in conclusion that hypernosognosias were associated with high personal anxiety as far as hyponosognosias were not bound with such individual feature. It was supposed that low preoccupation about own health may be associated with different combinations of other individual features as well as with functioning of psychological protection mechanisms.