psychocardiology

Modern psychodermatology relies on the bio-psycho-social disease model in psychosomatics, according to which biological, psychological and social factors (on various levels, from molecules to the biosphere) play a major role in the disease pathogenesis through complex, non-linear interactions over the entire disease course. It is nowadays experimentally proven that "emotions get into the skin". Recent research shows close anatomical, physiological and functional connections between skin and nervous system, already known to be ontogenetically related...

Despite the fact that American Heart Association (AHA) recommended a systematic screening for depression in cardiovascular inpatients, poor attention has been given to this issue. Furthermore, no specific guidelines exist for anxiety screening in cardiovascular inpatients. Thus, the aims of this study were to verify the feasibility of a depressive and anxiety symptoms screening protocol in an Italian hospital specializing in cardiovascular diseases and to evaluate both anxiety and depressive symptoms prevalence...

An integrative patient-centered care concept is increasingly demanded for treatment of cardiac patients with concomitant mental disorders. The present study aims to investigate the effect of an integrated concept of psycho-cardiac care (PK) versus a monodisciplinary cardiac (K) or psychosomatic (PSO) care. Patients were examined at baseline (T0), at the time of discharge from the rehabilitation program (T1) and after 6 month (T2). General anxiety, depression (HADS), cardiac anxiety (HAF) and quality of life (SF-12) were evaluated using computer-assisted questionnaires...

Despite great efforts made in recent years, globally cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the most common and devastating disease. Pharmacological, interventional and surgical treatments have proved to be only partly satisfactory for the majority of patients. A major underlying cause of poor prognosis is a high comorbidity rate between CVD and mental illness, which calls for the approaches of psychocardiology. As psychiatric disorders and CVD can influence each other bidirectionally, it is necessary to develop novel therapies targeting both systems simultaneously...

The enduring somatic threat (EST) model of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to life-threatening medical events suggests that PTSD-like symptoms represent patients' sensitization to cues of ongoing threat in the body. In this article, we review research on the prevalence and consequences of such reactions in cardiovascular disease patients, discuss early tests of the EST model, and then report a new test of the EST model in 143 patients enrolled during their first acute coronary syndrome (ACS; i.e., non-ST elevation myocardial infarction or unstable angina-colloquially, "heart attack")...

Objectives We investigated whether trimetazidine pretreatment can regulate central and peripheral serotonin (5-HT) in rats of myocardial infarction (MI) combined with depression. Methods Forty rats were randomly assigned to a sham operation group (n = 10) and a disease model group (n = 30). The sham operation group was pretreated with normal saline for 4 weeks. The disease model group was randomly assigned further into a negative control subgroup, a positive control subgroup, and a treatment subgroup - the groups received saline, sertraline, and trimetazidine pretreatment, respectively, for 4 weeks, then the rats were subjected to MI combined with depression...

BACKGROUND: Depression is a frequent comorbidity in chronic heart failure. It can be triggered by the experience of suffering from heart disease, but it can also play a causal role in accelerated development and poor prognosis of heart failure. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the interrelationships between heart failure and depression and the psychophysiological and behavioral mechanisms involved in this association. The effects of comorbid depression on quality of life in patients with heart failure were also examined and therapeutic options reviewed...

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Psychosocial risk factors contribute to the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases. They are associated with an unhealthy lifestyle, low patient adherence, alterations in autonomic function and endocrine markers. Thus, in cardiac rehabilitation, psychosocial risk factors should be assessed besides somatic factors. Patients with clinically significant symptoms ought to be referred for further psychological diagnostics. Depending on the findings, patients should be offered psychological interventions like relaxation training, stress management courses, smoking cessation programmes and individual counselling...

Background: Psychocardiological researches have suggested a central role of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) on psychocardiological mechanism. This study aimed to further explore the central role of 5-HT and pretreatment effects of XinLingWan on rats with myocardial infarction (MI) and/or depression. Methods: Ninety Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: MI group, depression group, and MI + depression group (n = 30 in each group). Each group was then divided into three subgroups (n = 10 in each subgroup): a negative control subgroup (NCS), a Western medicine subgroup (WMS), and a traditional Chinese medicine subgroup (TCMS), which were received pretreatment once a day for 4 weeks by saline, 20 mg/kg sertraline mixed with 2 ml saline, and 40 mg/kg XingLingWan mixed with 2 ml saline, respectively...

Background. Traditional Chinese Medicine is extensively used in China and HuoxueAnshen Recipe (HAR) was formulated according to its method in treating CHD accompanied with insomnia in clinic. However, there are few studies related to the effect of HAR on myocardial injury and sleep disorders. Purpose. To investigate the effects of HAR on sleep deprivation- (SD-) induced myocardial I/R injury. Methods. Male Wistar rats receiving a daily gavage of HAR or vehicle were exposed to SD intervention while control rats had normal sleep...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

The population is rapidly aging worldwide and the burden of chronic disease follows along. Frequently, diseases go hand in hand and cardiovascular disease and mental health problems are no exception. Symptoms of depression in the elderly are often overlooked and untreated because they coincide with other problems encountered by the elderly. Older adults with depressive symptoms have poorer functioning compared to those with chronic medical conditions. The burden of cardiovascular disease also remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality...

Patients with heart disease often suffer from psychological comorbidities in addition to various physical impairments. These mental disorders reduce the quality of life and have a negative effect on the development and course of heart diseases. Particularly the occurrence of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may lead to an increase in hospitalization-, morbidity-, and mortality rates. Early diagnosis of psychological disorders in patients with cardiovascular disease and consecutive treatment is therefore desirable...

BACKGROUND: The rapid progress of psychosomatic research in cardiology and also the increasing impact of psychosocial issues in the clinical daily routine have prompted the Clinical Commission of the German Heart Society (DGK) to agree to an update of the first state of the art paper on this issue which was originally released in 2008. METHODS: The circle of experts was increased, general aspects were implemented and the state of the art was updated. Particular emphasis was dedicated to coronary heart diseases (CHD), heart rhythm diseases and heart failure because to date the evidence-based clinical knowledge is most advanced in these particular areas...

BACKGROUND: Conducted researches show that psychological factors may have a very important role in the etiology, continuity and consequences of coronary heart diseases. This study has drawn the psychological risk and protective factors and their effects in patients with coronary heart diseases (CHD) in a structural model. It aims to determine the structural relations between psychological risk and protective factors with quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present cross-sectional and correlational studies were conducted using structural equation modeling...

Psychosocial risk factors (work stress, low socioeconomic status, impaired social support, anger, anxiety and depression), certain personality traits (e.g. hostility) and post-traumatic stress disorders may negatively influence the incidence and course of multiple cardiovascular disease conditions. Systematic screening for these factors may help to adequately assess the psychosocial risk pattern of a given patient and may also contribute to the treatment of these patients. Recommendations for treatment are based on current guidelines...

BACKGROUND: In view of the increasing number of implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICD), the number of people suffering from so-called "multiple ICD shocks" is also increasing. The delivery of more than five shocks (appropriate or inappropriate) in 12 months or three or more shocks (so called multiple shocks) in a short time period (24 hours) leads to an increasing number of patients suffering from severe psychological distress (anxiety disorder, panic disorder, adjustment disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder)...

The current work is the presentation of a new project at the IRCSS San Donato Milanese University hospital, in the sphere of Psychocardiology. Hospitalised children and adolescents often face psychosocial difficulties and the psychological condition of their parents frequently has an impact on their wellbeing. A strong need to take care, beyond the mere cure, is necessary in the hospital settings - that is a need to pay attention also to psychological aspects apart from the medical ones. Art therapy could be an answer for this need: the literature has outlined its efficacy in hospital, also due to the higher inclination of children and adolescents toward creativity...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.