'Positive emotions reduce heart attack risk'

CHANDIGARH: Even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh underwent a heart surgery at AIIMS on Saturday, professors of department of psychology, Panjab University, Jitendra Mohan and Meena Sehgal have come up with a psycho-social study which can go a long way in ensuring that you have a healthy heart.
According to the study, positive emotions, like optimism and happiness, improve the quality of life and lessen the chances of heart attacks.One hundred heart patients and as many healthy male individuals were administered 10 standard psychological instruments to measure stress, anger and other factors.
The study concluded that the coronary artery disease patients scored higher on Type II and V. High score on Type II means these people are over excited, highly emotional and suffer from hypertension and Type V patients have neurotic tendency, meaning they are highly anxious. Type V group is depression prone.
In contrast, healthy individuals scored higher on Type IV dimension. Type IV dimension people, who are balanced, optimists, self-controlled, calm and seek social support, were less prone to coronary heart diseases, said Jitendra Mohan. He added that persons of Type IV were able to deal with a situation by virtue of their 'autonomy-preserving ability', and thus, avoid stress reaction.
The study reveals that problems like stress, anger, daily hassles and hostility can increase the risk of coronary artery diseases (CAD).
These are the psychosocial factors, besides genetic reasons and lifestyle. 'If an individual doesn't smoke, drink an alcoholic beverage up to several times a week, and exercises regularly and includes ample amount of fruits and vegetables in diet, risk of heart attack is reduced,' he added.
In India, North Indians, especially Punjabis, were more prone to heart disease because of three reasons: their competitive nature, lifestyle and indulgence in alcohol and smoking, added Mohan.
To avoid stress in life, he advised, 'One should plan in advance, prioritise and delegate work.'
Five points for some hearty wisdom
Trust in others
Develop support systems
Tolerance
Self-control
Making life purposeful and goal-oriented