The Time Has Come for Physicians to Take Notice: The Impact of Psychosocial Stressors on the Heart

Probability of cardiovascular event-free survival as a function of mental stress-induced left ventricular ejection fraction changes. Reprinted with permission from Jiang W, Babyak M, Krantz DS, et al. Mental stress-induced myocardial ischemia and cardiac events. JAMA. 1996;275:1651-1656. SD=standard deviation; LVEF=left ventricular ejection fraction.

A, Percent of each marital status/quality group with a plaque score of≥2 at the first scan (N=376). B, Percent of each group showing an increase in plaque score from 0 or 1 to 2 or more. *Groups differ significantly at P<.05. Reprinted with permission from Gallo LC, Troxel WM, Kuller LH, Sutton-Tyrrell K, Edmundowicz D, Matthews KA. Marital status, marital quality, and atherosclerotic burden in postmenopausal women. Psychosom Med. 2003;65:952-962.

Daily cardiovascular events in the study population from May 1 to July 31 in 2003, 2005, and 2006. The FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany started on June 9, 2006, and ended on July 9, 2006. The 2006 World Cup matches with German participation are indicated by the numbers 1 to 7: match 1, Germany vs Costa Rica; match 2, Germany vs Poland; match 3, Germany vs Ecuador; match 4, Germany vs Sweden; match 5, Germany vs Argentina; match 6, Germany vs Italy; and match 7, Germany vs Portugal (for third-place standing). Match 8 was the final match, Italy vs France. Reprinted with permission from Wilbert-Lampen U, Leistner D, Greven S, et al. Cardiovascular events during World Cup soccer. N Engl J Med. 2008;358:475-483.

American Heart Association Science Advisory on Depression and Coronary Heart Disease algorithm screening for depression in patients with cardiovascular disease. *Meets diagnostic criteria for major depression, has a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score of 10 to 19, has had no more than 1 or 2 prior episodes of depression, and screens negative for bipolar disorder, suicidality, significant substance abuse, or other major psychiatric problems. †Meets the diagnostic criteria for major depression and has a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score≥20; or has had 3 or more prior depressive episodes; or screens positive for bipolar disorder, suicidality, significant substance abuse, or other major psychiatric problem. ‡If “Yes” to Q.9 “suicidal,” immediately evaluate for acute suicidality. If safe, refer for more comprehensive clinical evaluation; if at risk for suicide, escort the patient to the emergency department. Reprinted with permission Lichtman JH, Bigger JT Jr, Blumenthal JA, et al. Depression and coronary heart disease: recommendations for screening, referral, and treatment: a science advisory from the American Heart Association Prevention Committee of the Council on Cardiovascular Nursing, Council on Clinical Cardiology, Council on Epidemiology and Prevention, and Interdisciplinary Council on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research. Circulation. 2008;118:1768-1775. Epub 2008 Sep 29. PHQ=Patient Health Questionnaire.

Cumulative time to cardiovascular event curves for exercise, stress management, and usual care groups. After adjusting for age, baseline left ventricular ejection fraction, and history of myocardial infarction, stress management was associated with a significantly lower risk (relative risk, 0.26; P=.04) of an adverse cardiac event compared with usual care. Exercise was also associated with a lower relative risk compared with usual care, but this difference was not statistically significant (relative risk, 0.68; P=.34). *Significantly different from usual care at P<.05. Reprinted with permission from Blumenthal JA, Jiang W, Babyak MA, et al. Stress management and exercise training in cardiac patients with myocardial ischemia. Effects on prognosis and evaluation of mechanisms. Arch Intern Med. 1997;157:2213-2223.