Psychosocial

Question 1

What are the main psychosocial risk factors for heart disease? (5)

Answer 1

• Lifestyle factors - smoking, excersise,
• stress
• depression
• hostility/anger
• social isolation

Question 2

What psychological disorders can arise after MI? (3)

Answer 2

• depression
• anxiety
• PTSD

Question 3

What programme can help to reduce cardiac mortality in those who have suffered MI? What does this involve?

Answer 3

Cardiac rehabilitation: can be excersise based or involve psychological components. Uptake by patients tends to be low, and even lower in those who are depressed.

Question 4

What are the four categories of response to stress?

Answer 4

• Cognitive
• Affective
• Behavioural
• Physiological

Question 5

Some people have a greater physical response to stress than others. What is this phenomenon called?

Answer 5

Stress responsivity

Question 6

What influence does stress have on the immune system?

Answer 6

• The initial response by the sympathetic nervous system increases immune response; particularly large lymphocytes like NK cells
• The longer term response by the HPA axis (hypothalamus-pituitary-adernal) which stimulartes the release of Cortisol reduces the number of white blood cells, the release of cytokines and depresses the inflammatory response.

Question 7

how does thel lenght of time you are under stress affect the immune system?

Answer 7

• short stress like giving a presentation boosts immune response
• medium term stress like revising for exams boosts immune response during that time
• long term stress depresses immune response