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Cardiovascular Symptoms in Coronary-Artery Disease Patients Are Strongly Correlated With Emotional Distress

Received January 14, 2007; revised June 4, 2007; accepted June 4, 2007. From the Department of Behavioral Health and the Heart and Vascular Institute, Henry Ford Hospital and Wayne State University. Send correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Mark W. Ketterer, Henry Ford Hospital/CFP6, 2799 West Grand Blvd., Detroit MI 48202. e-mail: MarkWKetterer{at}cs.com
© 2008 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine

BACKGROUND: The relationship of cardiovascular events and cardiovascular symptoms is unclear, and physical symptoms, including most cardiovascular symptoms, are known to be influenced by emotional distress. OBJECTIVE: Authors examined the relative strength of association of multiple measures of emotional distress and accepted cardiac risk factors with five common cardiac symptoms (chest pain, fatigue, palpitations, presyncope, and dyspnea). METHOD: The authors tested the association of multiple cardiovascular symptoms with various measures of emotional distress (i.e., the scales of the Symptom Checklist-90–Revised) and the putative risk factors for disease status in 109 patients with documented coronary artery disease. RESULTS: Measures of emotional distress were stronger correlates of patient-rated distress due to the symptoms than were traditional risk factors. CONCLUSION: Treatment of emotional distress may be a viable strategy for symptom-control in cardiovascular disease.

Key Words: Heart Disease • Emotional Distress

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