A Gender-Based Study of Sensation Seeking in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Compared with Healthy Subjects

Introduction: The relationship between psychological factors and Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is one of the topics that has occupied the minds of researchers in the field of health psychology. The present research aimed at studying the levels of sensation seeking in coronary patients and healthy subjects.Methods: Two hundred and twenty-three coronary patients and 255 healthy subjects completed the Sensation Seeking Scale-form V (SSS–V). Next, 100 coronary cases (50 males and 50 females) that had referred to Madani Heart Hospital, Tabriz, Iran, and 100 healthy subjects, were compared in terms of levels of sensation-seeking. All participants were selected by purposeful sampling (aged 25 to 64 years). Data were analyzed by Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) through the SPSS 18 software.Results: Coronary male patients scored higher than coronary female patients in thrill and adventure seeking and healthy males scored higher than healthy females in boredom susceptibility. Healthy females scored higher than coronary females in thrill and adventure seeking, and in boredom susceptibility subscale, healthy males scored higher than coronary males.Conclusions: The identification of individuals with sensation seeking features will allow the identification of susceptible coronary patients for preventive procedures

Effects of Emotional Images on Cardiovascular Responses in Males with Coronary Artery Disease and in Healthy Males: The Role of Sensation Seeking

Introduction: Individuals exposed to certain types of images, based on their personality features, experience different emotional states and physiological responses. The present study addressed the effects of stressful and pleasant stimuli on blood pressure and heart rate in male patients with coronary problems and healthy males based on sensation seeking levels.Methods: One hundred and seventy eight male patients with coronary artery diseases referred to Madani Heart Hospital, Tabriz, Iran; and 185 healthy male subjects completed the Sensation Seeking Scale-form V (SSS-V). After obtaining acceptable scores, 100 patients and 100 healthy males were classified in four groups: high sensation seeker patients, low sensation seeker patients, high sensation seeker healthy subjects, and low sensation seeker healthy subjects (each group with 50 samples aged 30-49). First, blood pressures and heart rates were recorded before stimulus induction. Then, the participants were exposed to stressor pictures. After 15 minutes of relaxation, and a cognitive task, the participants were exposed to pleasant pictures. The blood pressure and heart rate were recorded after presenting the two stimuli.Results: High sensation seeker patients achieved lower scores in diastolic blood pressure in comparison with low sensation seeker patients after presenting the stressful stimulus, and healthy high sensation seekers achieved lower scores in systolic blood pressure in comparison with healthy low sensation seekers presented with pleasant stimulus.Conclusions: Low sensation seeker patients experienced negative emotions more than high sensation seeker patients. Therefore, the role of induced mood states may be important in relation to physical health

The Relationship between Sleep Quality and Happiness in Men with Coronary Artery Disease

Background and Aim: Good sleep quality has beneficial effects on happiness and being unhappy is significantly associated with negative cardiac outcomes. The present research aimed at studying the relationships between sleep quality and happiness in male coronary patients. Methods: One hundred male coronary patients that having been referred to Madani Heart Hospital, Tabriz, Iran, completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ). All participants were selected by purposive sampling (aged 37 to 67 years). Data were analyzed by multiple regression (simultaneous method) through the SPSS 18 software.Results: There was a significant negative difference between happiness with sleep disturbances and use of sleeping medication in coronary patients. Conclusion: This study showed that poor sleep quality in coronary patients has negative effects on their happiness. Therefore, the quality of sleep in these patients should be given more consideration by community health care providers.Keywords: Sleep Quality, Happiness, Coronary Artery Disease

Effects of Music on Cardiovascular Responses in Men with Essential Hypertension Compared with Healthy Men Based on Introversion and Extraversion

Introduction: The present research investigated the effects of two different types of music on cardiovascular responses in essential hypertensive men in comparison with healthy men based on introversion and extraversion. Methods: One hundred and thirteen hypertensive men referred to Madani Heart Hospital in Tabriz completed the NEO-FFI Questionnaire and after obtaining acceptable scores were classified in four groups: introvert patients, extravert patients, introvert healthy subjects, and extravert healthy subjects (each group with 25 samples with age range 31-50). Baseline blood pressure and heart rate of each subject was recorded without any stimulus. Then subjects were exposed to slow-beat music and blood pressure and heart rate were recorded. After15 minute break, and a little cognitive task for distraction, subjects were exposed to fast-beat music and blood pressure and heart rate were recorded again. Results: Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) test showed that extravert patient subjects obtained greater reduction in systolic blood pressure and heart rate after presenting slow-beat music compared with introvert patients (P= 0.035, and P= 0.033 respectively). And extravert healthy subjects obtained greater reduction in heart rate after presenting slow-beat music compared with introvert healthy subjects (P= 0.036). However, there are no significant differences between introvert and extravert groups in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate after presenting fast-beat music. Conclusion: Based on our results, introvert subjects experience negative emotions more than extravert subjects and negative emotions cause less change in blood pressure in these subjects compared with extravert subjects

Effects of tai chi on cardiovascular responses and stress reduction in prehypertensive subjects: A randomized clinical trial

Prehypertension seems to be the precursor to hypertension, and using non-pharmacological methods such as tai chi, can reduce blood pressure and its dangerous consequences. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effects of 8-form Yang-style tai chi on cardiovascular responses and stress reduction in prehypertensive subjects.Sixty prehypertensive men and women aged 25 to 54 years were selected by purposive sampling, and randomly assigned into two experimental groups (15 males and 15 females) and two control groups (15 males and 15 females). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and resting heart rate were measured by digital sphygmomanometer and stress was measured using Markham mental pressure inventory. Then, the experimental groups completed tai chi training for 45 minutes, three days per week for 8 weeks, however, the control groups received no intervention. Twenty four hours after completing the training, the dependent variables were re-measured in the study groups. Factorial multivariate analysis of covariance was used for statistical analysis. The results showed that tai chi significantly decreased systolic blood pressure, resting heart rate, and stress in comparison with control group. Our study encourages and supports that a short style of tai chi is an effective way in improving cardiovascular responses and stress in prehypertensive individuals

Effects of Emotional Stimuli on Cardiovascular Responses in Patients with Essential Hypertension Based on Brain/Behavioral Systems

Introduction: Effects of emotional stimuli on hemodynamics in patients with essential hypertension based on brain/behavioral systems have not been studied broadly. Methods: Eighty five essential hypertensive male patients who had completed Carver-White BIS/BAS scale were enrolled to the study. Later, 25 BIS and 25 BAS patients were selected and their blood pressure and heart rate were recorded prior to stimuli induction. Participants were then exposed to stressor pictures. After that, 15 minutes of relaxation and cognitive tasks were performed. Finally, the participants were exposed to pleasant pictures. The blood pressure and heart rate were recorded after presenting of 2 stimuli. Results: Our study showed that BIS patients achieved higher scores in diastolic blood pressure and heart rate in comparison with BAS patients after presenting stressful stimuli. Also, BAS patients achieved lower scores in systolic blood pressure and heart rate in comparison with BIS patients after presenting pleasant stimuli. Conclusion: In summary, BIS patients experience negative emotions more than BAS patients. Therefore, the role of induced mood states is important in relation to physical health