Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0018799 (heart disease)
 34,133 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Psychic stresses may cause cardiac reactions equal to those caused by physical strain. The intensity necessary for the psychic component to cause manifest clinical symptoms depends on the distinctness of the basic somatic cardiac disorder. Representing the group of functional cardiac and circulatory disorders the so-called phobic cardiac neurosis is discussed more in detail as well as the myocardial infarct as representatives of the group of coronary diseases. On the basis of tests (MMPI plus questionnaire) two groups may be differentiated. One group is characterized by pronounced dependance, sparing attitude, avoidance of situations and narrowing of environmental relations, the other by compensatory activity and physical engagement. The distinction is of relevance for therapeutic reasons and for reasons of somatic diagnosis. Among infarct patients we are presently trying to determine single psychic variables with respect to their importance as risk factors. Compulsiveness and rigidity or sociability and extraversion respectively appear to play a role.
 ...
PMID:[Psychosomatic aspects of cardiac and circulatory disorders (author's transl)]. 27 Feb 58

To investigate interactions between cardiac arrhythmias and subjective complaints and the background, ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring and a mental test [Cornell Medical Index (CMI)] were performed on 32 patients who complained of anxiety due to palpitation and/or tachycardic feelings without organic heart disease. The patients were classified into two groups according to the Holter ECG. In one group symptoms corresponded with cardiac arrhythmias (Group C; n = 15); and the other group lacked corresponding arrhythmias in spite of their significant symptoms (Group B; n = 17). From psychological view points, 65% of Group B and 40% of Group C patients showed grades III or IV of CMI tests, whereas only 5% showed grade III in normal volunteers (Group A; n = 20). Patients suffering symptoms without associated cardiac arrhythmias may have psychophysiologic backgrounds, at least in a part. It might be necessary in the treatment of these patients to pay attention to the factor of cardiac neurosis.
 ...
PMID:Cardiac neurosis: interactions between cardiac arrhythmias and symptoms using ambulatory ECG monitoring. 146 33

To evaluate the cardiovascular and plasma catecholamine responses to dynamic exercise in patients with cardiac neurosis (CN), treadmill testing was performed. Thirty-four patients with CN were chosen for this study based on exercise tolerance and the results were compared with those in 31 patients with organic heart disease and 12 normal subjects. Patients with CN showed an augmentation of cardiovascular and plasma catecholamine responses. The augmentation of the norepinephrine response in patients with CN was not as remarkable as that in patients with organic heart disease. On the other hand, the augmentation of the epinephrine response was greater in patients with CN than in those with organic heart disease. Administration of metoprolol (40 mg/day) for two weeks improved exercise tolerance in patients with CN. We suggest that anxiety augments both sympatho-neural and sympatho-adrenal activity and that it is the symptoms induced by the augmented cardiovascular response which reduce exercise tolerance in patients with CN.
 ...
PMID:Cardiac neurosis: exercise tolerance and the role of sympathetic activity. 208 73

Mitral valve prolapse syndrome is the most common cardiac disorder today. However, it is relatively new in the medical literature and not well understood by most health care professionals. This article discusses the history, pathophysiology and etiology of the syndrome. An in-depth study of the psychological aspects of the disease is also presented. The syndrome is considered by some authors to be the same as soldier's heart and neurocirculatory asthenia. Mitral valve prolapse syndrome can produce disabling symptoms such as chest pain, chronic anxiety, syncope and many others. The cause of these symptoms is not well understood. Autonomic dysfunction and a congenital brain malfunction are proposed explanations for the symptoms. Nurse practitioners who are aware of and knowledgeable about this disease can provide an invaluable service to those afflicted with it.
 ...
PMID:Mitral valve prolapse syndrome: etiology and symptomatology. 399 Oct 85

As a guide in distinguishing between organic and functional systolic murmurs, five characteristics of a murmur should always be noted, namely, (a) the location of maximal intensity of the murmur; (b) the intensity of the murmur itself; (c) the character of the murmur, that is, whether it is blowing, rumbling, rough or harsh; (d) the transmission of the murmur; and (e) the duration of the murmur and its time within the cardiac cycle. Functional systolic murmurs may be found at any of the "valve areas," are usually faint to moderately loud, are usually soft and blowing in quality, are usually only slightly transmitted, and are usually not heard immediately following the first heart sound. In doubtful cases, those in which history and physical examination alone are not sufficient to make a diagnosis of functional systolic murmur, further studies should be undertaken to determine the presence or absence of organic heart disease. Until a diagnosis of organic heart disease can be made with reasonable certainty, there should be no restriction of activity imposed, because of the likelihood of the development of cardiac neurosis in the patient.
 ...
PMID:Difficulties in evaluating systolic murmurs in children; with special reference to the functional systolic murmur. 1539 18