Coronary Artery Disease and its Psychosocial Risk Factors: A Narrative Review

Objective: Whenever the subject of coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial infarctions is discussed, the focus is usually shifted towards biological factors such as smoking, diabetes, or obesity; consequently, the management aims at addressing these factors. This paper approaches the subject from a psychosocial perspective and highlights the importance of these risk factors and their inclusion in CAD screening. Background: CAD is one of the most common diseases worldwide and also one of the leading causes of death in multiple countries. Although we have a proper understanding of its pathogenesis and risk factors, we sometimes tend to overlook the psychological factors that affect the patient both pre- and post-diagnosis. The purpose of this paper is to present these underestimated factors and convey their importance. Methods: To accomplish this, an extensive review of the literature was done using PubMed and Google Scholar, and articles were chosen based on the specified keywords. The references of these articles were also screened to identify more related studies and clinical trials. Discussion: This paper is composed of multiple subsections that go over the epidemiology of the disease as well as its pathogenesis and known biological risk factors, before delving into the psychosocial aspects associated with CAD including the effects of depression, anxiety, social support, and sex differences on a patient’s prognosis. Conclusion: CAD is a disease for which the management is through multifactorial interventions. Although the pathogenesis is well understood, there is a clear gap when it comes to appreciating the patients’ mental health when living with this diagnosis. Additionally, it has been shown that there is an increase in morbidity and mortality in the patients struggling on a psychosocial level, thus these factors should be included in the screening process.