JACC Focus Seminar: CV Health Promotion
JACC Focus Seminar
Positive Psychological Well-Being and Cardiovascular Disease: JACC Health Promotion Series

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2018.07.042Get rights and content
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Abstract

Facets of positive psychological well-being, such as optimism, have been identified as positive health assets because they are prospectively associated with the 7 metrics of cardiovascular health (CVH) and improved outcomes related to cardiovascular disease. Connections between psychological well-being and cardiovascular conditions may be mediated through biological, behavioral, and psychosocial pathways. Individual-level interventions, such as mindfulness-based programs and positive psychological interventions, have shown promise for modifying psychological well-being. Further, workplaces are using well-being–focused interventions to promote employee CVH, and these interventions represent a potential model for expanding psychological well-being programs to communities and societies. Given the relevance of psychological well-being to promoting CVH, this review outlines clinical recommendations to assess and promote well-being in encounters with patients. Finally, a research agenda is proposed. Additional prospective observational studies are needed to understand mechanisms underlying the connection between psychological well-being and cardiovascular outcomes. Moreover, rigorous intervention trials are needed to assess whether psychological well-being–promoting programs can improve cardiovascular outcomes.

Key Words

cardiovascular disease
cardiovascular health
health behaviors
optimism
positive psychological well-being

Abbreviations and Acronyms

AHA
American Heart Association
BMI
body mass index
CVD
cardiovascular disease
CVH
cardiovascular health
PTSD
post-traumatic stress disorder

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Dr. Hernandez is funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (award 1K01HL130712-01). Dr. Huffman is funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (grant R21DK109313), the American Diabetes Association (grant 1-17-ICTS-099), and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R01HL133149 and R01HL113272). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health or the American Diabetes Association. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose.

Listen to this manuscript's audio summary by JACC Editor-in-Chief Dr. Valentin Fuster.

∗

Drs. Kubzansky and Huffman contributed equally to this work and are joint first authors.

© 2018 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier.