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Psychosocial Risk Factors In Cardiac Disease, Brenda Jill Rooney

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Acute myocardial infarction is responsible for an extraordinary number of deaths per year in the adult population. Both traditional risk factors (ex., smoking) and non-traditional risk factors (ex., hostility) have been studied for many years in regard to cardiac disease prognosis and progression. Based on past studies, the area of potential psychological cardiac risk factors includes a broad range of characteristics. Difficulties in interpreting and comparing results include a lack of consistent and objective grading criteria and standardized measurements. The problems in this area of study are confounded by difficulties in identifying the definite biological mechanisms through which psychosocial factors …