Stressful life events in coronary artery disease patients

ABSTRACT

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death globally and is projected to remain the leading cause of death. Most risk factors for cardiovascular diseases are related to lifestyle and environmental stressors. Stress causes an individual to experience longer periods of sympathetic stimulation, which increases the workload on the heart. This descriptive corelational study was conducted to identify stressful life events experienced by coronary artery disease patients. The study was conducted on 200 adult patients of both sexes selected, from the medical wards of the Main Alexandria University Hospital and Health Insurance hospital [Gamal Abdel Nasser] in Alexandria Egypt. Recent Life Changes Questionnaire [RLCQ] was adapted and used to collect the required data. Results showed that the majority of study patients had major changes in health or behavior of a family member, and changes in social activities, in the year preceding the first attack of coronary artery disease, and these were stressful events in their lives and were potential triggers of the onset of coronary artery disease