PSYCHOLOGICAL-FACTORS AFFECTING PHYSICAL CONDITION - CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASE LITERATURE-REVIEW .1. CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE AND SUDDEN-DEATH

A subcommittee of the American Psychiatric Association's Psychiatric S ystems Interface Disorders Work Group was charged with examining the d iagnostic 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 fa ctors 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 pr ovide recommendations for further research.