Psychological characteristics in patients with myocardial infarction : A case-control study

• The relationship between psychological factors and nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) was studied by comparing consecutive male (n=288) and female (n=55) patients, who had suffered a first MI, with a population sample of 283 men and 129 women. All were aged below 65. The psychological factors were investigated by means of a self-administered questionnaire. Both men and women with MI reported significantly more irritability and anxiety than their referents, and also more depressive symptoms and less meaningfulness. After controlling for traditional risk factors (smoking, hypertension, serum cholesterol, and diabetes) all factors were still significantly related to MI among men. Among women solely anxiety remained significant. However, there were no differences between MI patients and referents concerning anger-in or sense of guilt. In multivariate analyses including traditional risk factors and all significant psychological factors irritability and depression emerged as independent risk factors in men, whereas no independent psychological risk factors could be demonstrated in women.

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)