Main description:

This comprehensve review of scientific research supporting evidence of the relationship between cardiac disease and psychological condition offers practical suggestions for developing a clinical practice, and proposes directions for future research in the new field of "cardiac psychology". Every chapter is written by world-renowned researchers in the field. A theoretical and practical guide, it will interest physicians, clinical and health psychologists, and all professionals who seek to understand the mind-health link.

Contents:

Foreword.- Clinical psychology for cardiac disease.- Part 1: Psychological risk factors for cardiac disease. An overview of the pathophysiological mechanisms.- Psychophysiology of heart disease.- Mental stress ischemia: characteristics, pathophisiology, prognosis and treatment.- Depression and CHD: prevalence, prognosis, pathophysiology and treatment. Prevalence of depression in chronic heart failure. Depression in coronary artery disease: assessment and treatment. Anxiety and heart disease. Anxiety, depressive symptoms and heart transplantation. Psychological factors in hypertension. Development and treatment.- Type A, Type D, anger-prone behaviour and risk of relapse in CHD patients. Defensive hostility and cardiovascular disease: theoretical and empirical bases for an interpersonal approach-avoidance conflict perspective. In sickness and in health: interpersonal risk and resilience in cardiovascular disease. Psychological stress in women: the Stockholm female coronary risk study.- Application of neural networks and other artificial adaptive systems in prediction and data mining of risk psychological profile for CHD. Rasch analysis to measure behaviors and perceptions: as a tool for rehabilitation research.- Interlude: The 'heart' of cardiology: an imaginary conversation with Bernard Lown.- Part 2: Psychological treatments in cardiac rehabilitation: Interpersonal psychotherapy for depression in patients with coronary heart disease. Hanging onto a heartbeat: emotional-focused therapy for couples dealing with the trauma of coronary heart disease. Type A behavior pattern and its treatment. Relaxation techniques and hypnosis in the treatment of CHD patients. Cardiological and psychological mobile care through telematic technologies for heart failure patients: ICAROS project. Functioning and disability in patients with cardiovascular disease within the ICF classification framework: proposales for utilization using ICF to classify functioning anddisability in patients with cardiovascular disease. Coherence-building techniques and heart rhythm coherence feedback: new tools for stress reduction, disease prevention and rehabilitation.