Stress and the Heart: Psychosocial Pathways to Coronary Heart Disease

This book brings together the evidence on psychosocial factors that influence the causation and progression of coronary heart disease. These include macrosocial factors such as social class, broad social influences such as the impact of work and social support and personal aspects such as depression and hostility. An important part of the book is the description of psychological and social influences on diet, smoking and physical activity all of which may be implicated in the causation of heart disease.These psychosocial factors are linked to the metabolic and physiological pathways involved in the development of coronary heart disease and their links with genetic characteristics are explored. Finally recent psychosocial intervention studies are reviewed.