LEVELS OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND DENIAL IN PATIENTS WITH MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

In this study we investigated 1) the changes in anxiety, depression an d denial from admission to discharge in patients admitted to the inten sive care unit following an acute myocardial infarction and 2) the eff ect of smoking habits, time lapsed from the appearance of symptoms to seeking help behavior, presence of a person that motivated the patient to seek help, previous myocardial infarction (MI) and family history of MI, on these changes. The results indicated that 1) the levels of b oth anxiety and depression increased from admission to discharge, whil e denial decreased; 2) positive family history of MI was associated wi th lower difference of denial between admission and discharge.