title: Alexithymia, depression and heart rate in candidates for cardiac surgery.
abstract: Effects of psychological traits on heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) were evaluated in patients awaiting cardiac surgery. Alexithymics demonstrated slowed HR, whereas high cognitive performance was associated with elevated HR in 2-3 days before surgery. Depression negatively correlated with HRV low frequency power. These data are consistent with previous findings of diverse moderate stress effects on HR regulation in cardiologic patients and healthy subjects in accordance to differences in psychological characteristics.
authors.forename: Leo A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Bokeriia
authors.forename: Elena Z
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Golukhova
authors.forename: Anna G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Polunina
authors.forename: Dmitry M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Davydov
authors.forename: Maria V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Kruglova
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000523:psychology; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D016019:Survival Analysis