Psychosocial factors impair vascular responses of coronary arteries.

33 monkeys (n=6 nonatherosclerotic controls on monkey chow in stable setting; 27 on atherogenic diet for 14 months then assigned to high-cholesterol/unstable [n=9], low-cholesterol/unstable [n=8], or low-cholesterol/stable [n=10] for 16 months)

Unstable social conditions (chronic psychosocial disruption)

Stable social conditions

Change in coronary artery diameter in response to intracoronary infusion of acetylcholine (versus infusion of 5% dextrose in water) measured by quantitative coronary angiographysurrogate