Social support plays an important role in the association between anxiety and cardiac disease outcomes, though its exact function remains unclear and depends heavily on relationship quality.
Does social support improve outcomes in patients with anxiety and heart disease?
This narrative review highlights the importance of assessing and intervening on psychosocial factors, particularly the quality of social support, in patients with anxiety and heart disease.
A narrative review of the major evidence concerning the relationship between anxiety, social support and cardiac disease was conducted. Literature demonstrates that a strict relationship between anxiety, social support and cardiac disease outcomes subsists. However, the function of social support within anxiety and heart disease association remains unclear and needs to further researches to be established. Moreover evidence suggests that it's the quality of close relationships to play an important role in affecting psychological and physiological health status. The main components that the literature suggests for a better quality of social support and close relationship, and the main assessment measure are presented. Evidence about cardiac rehabilitation programs and the need to assess and intervene on psychological and psychosocial factors is discussed.
Zarbo et al. (Fri,) conducted a review in Anxiety and Heart Disease. Social support vs. Low or no social support was evaluated. Social support plays an important role in the association between anxiety and cardiac disease outcomes, though its exact function remains unclear and depends heavily on relationship quality.