Variations in Serum Lipid Concentration and Clinical Coronary Disease

Psychologic Correlates of Serum Cholesterol in Man

“…The consistently high and positive coeffi- dents of correlation found between subjects' depressive mood scores and their serum cholesterol level were in full agreement with previous work (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17). Separate blood-drawing and questionnaire testing sessions throughout the training period demonstrated often statistically significant correlations, regardless of the men's mean serum cholesterol levels which changed throughout the course (16,17).…”

“…absence of any baseline level of cholesterol concentration, man's serum cholesterol level for any given period in his life has been found to be related to certain psychologic moods and feelings (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16). For example, it has been shown that depressed mental patients demonstrate elevated serum cholesterol levels (4,5).…”

“…For example, it has been shown that depressed mental patients demonstrate elevated serum cholesterol levels (4,5). Groover, and later, Friedman and Rosenman, demonstrated that in subjects with coronary heart disease, significant elevations in baseline serum cholesterol concentrations developed prior to and during stressful life experiences (6,7). Wolf, in studying postmyocardial infarction patients, recorded a high association between the times when his subjects experienced stressful life events and the times when they exhibited elevated serum cholesterol concentrations (8,9).…”

“…When his subjects demonstrated low serum cholesterol levels, they reported that they had been recently relaxed, comfortable and secure (9). Hence, a consensus of available data indicates that human psychologic moods and feelings of aggression, hostility (generally repressed), competitiveness, time urgency, independence, self-criticism, guilt, depression and of being overburdened are associated with high serum cholesterol levels, while mood and feeling states of security, comfort and relaxation are associated with low serum cholesterol levels (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16). In studies of subjects with coronary heart disease, where most of these persons had relatively high serum cholesterol levels, the subjects were described as being aggressive, competitive and hardworking individuals who frequently felt their lives to be characterized by rushing against time deadlines (7).…”

Variability of Plasma Lipids in Response to Emotional Arousal

“…A single lipid determination may not be adequate for assessing the impact of a treatment program (74). Indeed, it is precisely heart patients who manifest the greatest variability in cholesterol levels over time (75,76). One would be well advised to obtain three or four lipid determinations on different occasions to form an impression of the patient's baseline condition.…”