Cognitive-behavioral Approach to Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases

The author reviewed cognitive-behavioral approach to A type behavior pattern and hypertension which are known to be risk factors for coronary heart diseases. Those cognitive distortions frequently found in persons with A type behavior include all-nothing thinking, selective attention, personalization, and attribution of causality. Cognitive-behavioral techniques were also described, which can be applied to management of each characteristic of A type behavior pattern such as time urgency, perfectionism, achievement striving, low self-esteem, excessive work involvement, hostility, and depression. Cognitive-behavioral intervention for hypertension might help the patients to recognize and monitor anger-engendering conflicts, identify characteristic styles of responding, and experiment with alternative ways of managing conflict and anger. Since different features predominate in different individuals, it is necessary to develop treatment plan on the basis of individual characteristics and problems.ope