Psychological distress as a predictor of ventricular arrhythmias in a post-myocardial infarction population.
A prospective study examining the relationship between psychological distress and ventricular ectopy was conducted with 125 post-myocardial infarction patients equipped with a transtelephonic ECG monitor. Subjects were subsequently grouped according to the occurrence (n = 59) or nonoccurrence (n = 65) of ventricular arrhythmias over a 1-year period. Results indicated a direct relationship between self-reported distress levels and occurrence of ectopic beats. This relationship was unaltered by adjusting simultaneously for known predictors of arrhythmias, including cardiac risk, age, and the prescription of beta-blocker agents. Thus this study represents an initial demonstration in a post-myocardial infarction population that psychosocial factors have prognostic significance for arrhythmias and, presumably, sudden death.
Follick
M J
MJ
Brown University/Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI 02906.
Gorkin
L
L
Capone
R J
RJ
Smith
T W
TW
Ahern
D K
DK
Stablein
D
D
Niaura
R
R
Visco
J
J
D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000453:epidemiology; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013689:Telephone / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods