Cognitive appraisal and cardiac risk reduction behavior following coronary angioplasty

Clinicians express concern that because percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is minimally invasive and yields rapid symptom relief, patients with successful PTCA may be too optimistic about their future health status, may no longer perceive heart disease as a threat to health, and thus, may view cardiac risk-reduction behaviors as unnecessary. This study examined the relationship between patients' cognitive appraisal of PTCA (treatment appraisal and heart disease threat) and subsequent participation in cardiac risk-reduction behavior 2 weeks following hospital discharge. The sample included 58 subjects with successful PTCA. The majority were older, married, Caucasian men who reported participation in cardiac risk-reduction behavior (not smoking, exercising regularly, and following a low fat/low sodium diet) following PTCA. Although heart disease threat was a significant negative predictor of psychological well-being, it did not predict self-reported participation in cardiac risk-reduction behavior.