title: [Epidemiological studies on the relationship between psychosocial factors and cardiovascular disease].
abstract: Psychosocial factors contribute significantly to the pathogenesis and expressions of cardiovascular disease(CVD). Recent studies have demonstrated that 5 specific psychosocial entities are most relevant: (1) depression, (2) anxiety; (3) personality factors and character traits; (4) social isolation, and (5) chronic life stress. Epidemiological studies consistently demonstrate a significant prospective relationship between the occurrence of major depression and the cardiac events. Increasing evidence now links anxiety disorders to the development of CVD events in general populations. Although type A behavior is continuously found to be positively related with increased risk of CVD, a series of studies have reported no correlation between type A behavior and CVD risk. However, hostility, a major attribute of the type A behavior pattern, is considered to be more pathogenic. Social isolation characterized mainly by a relatively small social network has been shown to be associated with increase in the incidence of CVD over time. Finally, chronic life stress, particularly the work-related stress, proved to be closely related to CVD risk. The pathophysiological mechanisms of psychosocial factors on the pathogenesis of CVD are: (1) excessive sympathetic nervous system activation, (2) triggering of myocardial ischemia; (3) promotion of arrhythmogenesis, (4) stimulation of platelet function, and (5) deterioration of endothelial function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing 100029, China. wuzhaosu@263.net
authors.forename: Z S
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D012307:Risk Factors; D012934:Social Isolation; D013315:Stress, Psychological