Usefulness of psychosocial treatment of mental stress-induced myocardial ischemia in men

A mechanism converting psychosocial stress into mononuclear cell activation

“…The consistent results obtained in healthy volunteers, animal studies, and studies in vitro provide strong evidence that the mechanism described is not only observed in a single model, but may be applicable to rather different situations with increased NA release as the common denominator. However, it remains unknown whether the changes induced by a brief psychosocial stressor are indeed sufficient to explain the relation of psychosocial stress to cardiovascular disease (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15). It is more likely that a repeated exposure to adverse, i.e., stressful, life events with failure to habituate biologically to these circumstances will convey the well documented disease outcomes (56).…”

“…In chronic diseases, in which these RAGE ligands are abundantly expressed, psychosocial stress-induced NF-B activation might not only be amplified, but converted to a constant threat (25,57). Clinical and experimental studies provide evidence that lowering psychosocial stress by ␤-adrenergic inhibitors (9,11,12) and͞or stress management (13)(14)(15)(16) lead to reduction of the intima media thickness (13) and the overall cardiovascular mortality (14,15).…”

“…Intervention studies in cynomolgus monkeys support this concept, showing not only activation of these processes by mental stress but also reduction of vascular dysfunction and disease by reducing psychosocial stress through ␤-adrenergic blockade (8)(9)(10)(11)(12). Consistently, behavioral interventions, stress reduction, and stress management demonstrated benefits over and above usual medical care in hypertensive African Americans (13) and in cardiac patients with evidence of myocardial ischemia (14)(15)(16)(17)(18).…”

Neurocardiac Interaction During Stress-Induced Myocardial Ischemia

“…Emerging and extant literature suggests that MSI has pathophysiological distinctions in cerebral and cardiovascular determinants compared with exercise 15 ; poor prognosis 7 ; and survival advantage when rehabilitation strategies are tailored accordingly. 20 Although we use exercise as a stimulus for ischemia, many patients who experience ischemia at rest do not experience ischemia during exercise. Furthermore, strong emotions are demonstrated triggers of acute coronary syndrome.…”

Effect of immobilization stress on gene expression of catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes in heart auricles of socially isolated rats

“…Published December 4, 2009. Stress exposure activates the sympathoneural system, resulting in catecholamine release. Chronic stress is associated with the development of numerous disorders including cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and myocardial infarction (1). The sympathoneural system plays an important role in the regulation of cardiac function both in health and disease.…”