Psychological Traits, Heart Rate Variability, and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Healthy Aging Women-The Women's Health Initiative.

ABSTRACT: Objective: Psychological traits such as optimism and hostility affect coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, but mechanisms for this association are unclear. We hypothesized that optimism and hostility may affect CHD risk via changes in heart rate variability (HRV).

Methods: We conducted a longitudinal analysis using data from the Women's Health Initiative Myocardial Ischemia and Migraine Study. Participants underwent 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram monitoring 3 years after enrollment. Optimism (Life Orientation Test-Revised), cynical hostility (Cook-Medley), demographics, and coronary risk factors were assessed at baseline. HRV measures included standard deviation of average N-N intervals (SDNN); standard deviation of average N-N intervals for 5 minutes (SDANN); and

SUBMITTER: Salmoirago-Blotcher E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6443472 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature