In Sickness and in Health: a Literature Review about Function of Social Support within Anxiety and Heart Disease Association

Table 1: Topic Aspects Emerged by Literature Review

Topic Aspects Emerged by Literature Review
Anxiety can increase the risk of a coronary heart disease through several direct and indirect pathophysiological mechanisms. Social support may contribute to health status through protects persons from the potentially pathogenic influence of stressful events (the buffering model) or by providing positive experiences and stability in life situation (the main-effect model). The majority of the studies suggests that social support play an important role on anxiety and cardiac disease outcomes association, but unclear is if: a. it has a direct impact on anxiety and cardiac disease outcomes; b. it weakens the impact of anxiety on cardiac disease outcomes. The function of social support is moderated by his quality, sustained by the presence of intimacy, good communication, secure attachment and empathy. Social Network Index (SNI), ENRICHD Social Support Instrument (ESSI), Close Persons Questionnaire (CPQ), UCLA Loneliness Scale, Revised Adult Attachment Scale (AAS) are the main assessment tools to evaluate social support. Cognitive behavior therapy is one of the most effective intervention for cardiac patients with anxiety. Cardiac rehabilitation might then psychological interventions, concerning anxiety and close relationship quality. It would be desirable that future research and clinical protocols consider the function of social support within anxiety and cardiac disease association.

Topic Aspects Emerged by Literature Review

Anxiety can increase the risk of a coronary heart disease through several direct and indirect pathophysiological mechanisms.
Social support may contribute to health status through protects persons from the potentially pathogenic influence of stressful events (the buffering model) or by providing positive experiences and stability in life situation (the main-effect model).
The majority of the studies suggests that social support play an important role on anxiety and cardiac disease outcomes association, but unclear is if: a. it has a direct impact on anxiety and cardiac disease outcomes; b. it weakens the impact of anxiety on cardiac disease outcomes.
The function of social support is moderated by his quality, sustained by the presence of intimacy, good communication, secure attachment and empathy.
Social Network Index (SNI), ENRICHD Social Support Instrument (ESSI), Close Persons Questionnaire (CPQ), UCLA Loneliness Scale, Revised Adult Attachment Scale (AAS) are the main assessment tools to evaluate social support.
Cognitive behavior therapy is one of the most effective intervention for cardiac patients with anxiety.
Cardiac rehabilitation might then psychological interventions, concerning anxiety and close relationship quality.
It would be desirable that future research and clinical protocols consider the function of social support within anxiety and cardiac disease association.