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.

This important book shows those working with clinical populations how to develop an understanding of the psychology of patients with cardiovascular problems to support appropriate medical care. An understanding of the psychological underpinnings of physical illness can alter the way clinicians conceptualize their patients and the communities they serve. Based on the latest research, this book offers suggestions about how to approach cardiovascular disease holistically in multidisciplinary medical settings with competence and professionalism in mind. With the escalating prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, this book flags the importance of understanding the psychological mechanisms at play in affected patients, highlighting the multifactorial pathways that lead to the development of physical health maladies and comorbid psychopathology. It describes the bidirectional relationship of cardiovascular disease with personality pathology and offers best practices in interacting between primary care, cardiology, psychologists, and other allied professionals. It also provides specific instruction about how to navigate the relationship with medical doctors while illustrating the unique ethical challenges or limitations of the health psychologist working with patients, their families, and providers in clinical practice. Moreover, it includes coverage of treatment plans taking into consideration individual differences in age, health status, and culture. This book will be of interest to anyone interested in furthering their knowledge about the complex interplay between cardiovascular problems and mental health conditions, especially clinical health psychologists who collaborate with social workers, primary care physicians, cardiologists, and surgeons alike.

This book describes those psychological features specifically characteristic of patients with congenital heart disease, from birth to adulthood. The combination of case studies, descriptions of life experiences and psychological recommendations and collaboration with non-profit organizations in the field ensure that it will serve as an excellent day-to-day learning tool. Technological advances in cardiology and cardiac surgery have resulted in an increase in the number of adults with congenital heart disease, creating a new emergency. From when they are born, these patients and their relatives require extensive support for many reasons, including the uncertainty and restrictions in their lives, frequent hospitalizations and difficulties in the work and social spheres. Clinical Psychology and Congenital Heart Disease explains how psychology can contribute to healthcare treatment of patients with congenital heart disease and their families. Emphasis is placed on the need for a multidisciplinary approach to ensure the well-being of the patient and the clinician is provided with insights and instruments that will assist greatly in the provision of appropriate support.

Psychosomatic diagnostics and therapy are of increasing importance in the acute treatment, prevention and rehabilitation of cardiovascular diseases. The connection between heart disease and the psyche as well as the psychosocial concomitant symptoms is well documented. Contents: • Basics of cardiology and psychosomatic medicine; • Doctor-patient relationship; • Ethical issues, gender effects, psychocardiology along the lifespan; • Psychosomatic problem areas and comorbidities in coronary heart disease: Personality factors, risk behaviours, depression, anxiety disorders; • Specific problems in other cardiovascular diseases and treatment settings; • Diagnostics; • Interdisciplinary cooperation, treatment and rehabilitation; • Training courses in psychocardiology. The book offers cardiologists, internists, general practitioners, psychotherapists and psychologists all practice-relevant basics to be able to treat their patients in the best possible way. It is a translation of an original German edition. The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence (machine translation by the service DeepL.com). A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms of content, so that the book may read stylistically differently from a conventional translation.

Despite the stunning progress in medical research that has been achieved over the past few decades, heart disease remains the leading cause of death and disability among adults in many industrialized countries. Behavioral and psychosocial factors play important roles in the development and progression of heart disease, as well as in how patients adapt to the challenges of living with this illness. This volume in the series "Advances in Psychotherapy" provides readers with a succinct introduction to behavioral and psychosocial treatment of the two most prevalent cardiac conditions, coronary heart disease and congestive heart failure. It summarizes the latest research on the intricate relationships between these conditions and psychosocial factors such as stress, depression, and anger, as well as behavioral factors such as physical inactivity and non-adherence to cardiac medication regimens. It draws upon lessons learned from a wide range of studies, including the landmark ENRICHD and SADHART clinical trials. It then goes on to provide practical, evidence-based recommendations and clinical tools for assessing and treating these problems. "Heart Disease" is an indispensable treatment manual for professionals who work with cardiac patients.

An opening address should ask the right questions, which we expect to answer during the coming years. A good opening address should formu late hypotheses for falsification during the conference or in the near fu ture. Mter Dr. Groen's excellent lecture yesterday, I feel better about my task, because I feel I am not alone in asking the ten questions in my ab stract. It is an honor for me to give this short paper largely based on my expe riences during 15 years as medical director of a rehabilitation center in Ba varia, as a teacher at two medical schools in Munich and Innsbruck, and as an old-fashioned holistic cardiologist. However, it also is a difficult task for me because the subject of this conference concerning biobehavioral factors in coronary heart disease is controversial, not only in the medical society, but in my own mind as well. When I organized one of the first conferences on stress and coronary heart disease in West Germany in 1976, followed by conferences in 1979 and 1980, the semantic problems between physicians and psychologists were very significant. However, communication has improved in this area during the last decade. The most encouraging event in this field was a sym posium in May 1984 in Rotenburg/Fulda on the topic "Return to Work af ter Bypass Surgery", organized by a cardiac surgeon, Dr. Walter.

Not long ago, it was assumed that coronary heart disease mainly--or only--affected men. Now that CHD is recognized as a leading killer of women as well as men, numerous research studies have been made of its diverse presentations in women, causal factors, and possibilities for prevention and treatment. The expert contributions to Psychosocial Stress and Cardiovascular Disease in Women span the results of this cross-disciplinary awareness. This progressive resource takes a three-dimensional approach to its subject, focusing on epidemiology and risk factors for heart disease in women, the psycho- and neurobiology of stress and coronary disease, and promising clinical interventions. Chapters identify and analyze multiple intersections of social, biological, and psychological factors in affecting women's heart health, from the social dimensions of depression to genetic/environmental interactions to the demands of balancing work and family. These wide-ranging findings will assist and motivate professionals in choosing and creating interventions, developing appropriate prevention strategies, and reducing gender-based disparities in health care. Among the topics covered: Enhancing women's heart health: a global perspective. Coronary heart disease in women: evolution of our knowledge. Gender observations on basic physiological stress mechanisms in men and women. Sleep as a means of recovery and restitution in women. LifeSkills training: benefiting both genders, for different reasons. Gender considerations in psychosocial-behavioral interventions for coronary heart disease. In particular this book will be helpful for cardiologists and other clinicians who may ask themselves why patients do not seem to make rational choices. "Why do patients not follow the advice they are offered?" is a common complaint. The role of psychosocial stress for patient compliance and adherence can be traced throughout the volume. It is emphasized in the chapters on psychosocial interventions along with other tangible and conceptual suggestions and experiences with psychosocial stress and life style change. Psychosocial Stress and Cardiovascular Disease in Women offers a deep practical level of understanding of this epidemic to help expand the work of health and clinical psychologists, sociologists, cardiologists, primary care physicians, and epidemiologists.

This book discusses the benefits of application of different psychotherapy techniques, in addition to optimal medical approaches, in patients with ischemic heart disease. It explains the theoretical basis for use of these techniques, discusses the scientific evidence for their efficacy, and identifies important practical issues. Detailed attention is devoted to both well-established and recently developed approaches of proven value, as well as to future applications. In addition, practical insights are provided into the most effective ways of integrating psychotherapy with medical activities in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and rehabilitation centers. The authors are world experts in the fields of psychotherapy, pharmacology, and cardiology, who collectively provide a sound foundation for an interdisciplinary approach to patients with ischemic heart disease. Psychotherapy for Ischemic Heart Disease is both a textbook and a practical manual aimed particularly at cardiologists, psychologists, psychotherapists, and psychiatrists, but also internal medicine specialists, cardiac surgeons, general practitioners, rehabilitation doctors, students, nurses, and patients.