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