Anxiety and heart disease

Abstract

Despite impressive gains made in the treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD), it remains the number one cause of death and a major cause of disability among women and men in the United States (US). By the year 2020, CHD is projected to be the number one cause of death worldwide [1]-[3]. Coronary heart disease claims more lives each year than the next five causes of death combined [1]. The effect of various demographic (e.g., age, gender) and clinical (e.g., the presence of comorbidities) characteristics on development of cardiac events and on recovery has been well studied [4]. These demographic and clinical characteristics are used commonly in clinical practice to determine patient risk for future events. © 2006 Springer-Verlag Milan.