Health Psychology: Cardiovascular Problems

Psychological Effects

• Cardiovascular disease
    * System includes heart, blood vessels, and regulatory mechanisms
    * Problems may include heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke
    * Heightened responsivity to acute mental stress has adverse effects on cardiovascular health
    * Chronic stress and personality factors are also very important

Hypertension

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
    * Increases risk for:
      * Heart disease
      * Kidney disease
    * Taxes the blood vessels
• Prevalence = 27.6% of North Americans age 35 to 64
• African Americans = 2x greater risk
• Risk factors :
    * Excessive sodium intake
    * Sympathetic arousal
    * Stress level
    * Expressed anger
    * Hostility

Causes of Hypertension

• Psychological factors, such as personality, coping style, and, again, level of stress, have been used to explain individual differences in blood pressure
• Social support important contributor to cardiovascular
• Loneliness, depression, and feelings of uncontrollability are psychological factors that contribute to cardiovascular
• Happiness and optimism are associated with cardiovascular health

Coronary Heart Disease

• Coronary heart disease (CHD)—blockage of arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle
• Psychological and behavioral risk factors
    * Stress, anxiety, anger
    * Poor coping skills
    * Low social support
• CHD linked to Type A behavior pattern
    * Anger
    * Excessive drive and competitiveness
    * Impatience
    * Accelerated speech
    * Agitated motor activity
• CHD also linked to chronic negative affect, low SES and stressful experiences