Psychological Factors Affecting Physical Condition: Cardiovascular Disease Literature Review

A subcommittee of the American Psychiatric Association's Psychiatric Systems Interface Disorders Work Group was charged with examining the diagnostic category, Psychological Factors Affecting Physical Condition, for possible revision in the DSM-IV. As members of this subcommittee, we conducted a literature review to better characterize the current state of knowledge regarding the relationship between psychological factors and cardiovascular disease. This review, divided into two parts, focuses on three problems: coronary artery disease, sudden death, and hypertension. For each of these cardiovascular disorders, we describe models for understanding the relationship of psychological factors to the disorder, review the results of relevant research studies, and provide recommendations for further research.