This research study assessed whether antecedent and response-focused emotion regulation had any divergent associations with likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease. Increases in antecedent-focused emotion regulation strategies (reappraisal) were associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk, and increases in response-focused emotion regulation strategies (suppression) were associated with higher cardiovascular disease risk.
This physician essayist applauds the adoption of the American Heart Association’s 2020 Impact Goal to improve the cardiovascular health (CVH) of all Americans by 20 percent while reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke by 20 percent—by the year 2020.
Positive psychological well-being, especially optimism, protects against the incidence, and somewhat against the progression, of cardiovascular disease through a broad array of mechanisms, according to this extensive literature review.