Cardiac neurosis is not a heart attack but a “heart disease”

  Traditionally, heart disease refers to diseases caused by organic or functional lesions of the heart, blood vessels or neurohumoral tissues regulating blood circulation, while cardiac neurosis is a cardiovascular dysfunction syndrome caused by neurological dysfunction, with symptoms of cardiovascular disease but no evidence of clinical organic heart disease.  With the changing social environment and pace of life, the incidence of cardiac neurosis is on the rise due to the increasing work and life stress. Among the outpatients of cardiology department, some of them have the onset of physical symptoms due to psychological factors. They feel painful and suggestive subjectively, and are often anxious because they suspect that they have heart disease or are afraid of attack or deterioration of existing disease, which in turn aggravates the symptoms, forming a vicious circle of “psychological interaction”.  Most people are used to thinking that cardiac neurosis may be more uncomfortable than organic heart disease, but there is no significant clinical risk. In reality, however, the dangers of cardiac neurosis should not be underestimated. A large proportion of patients with cardiac neurosis suffer from the mental burden and pain of a “heart attack” that is often more severe than organic heart disease. Severe cardiac neurosis can lead to reduced emotional and social functioning, decreased compliance, decreased physical fitness, impaired immune function, increased difficulty in treating existing diseases, and even transformation to organic lesions, such as hypertension, atrial fibrillation, premature beats, etc., or induce psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression. In addition, patients’ medical costs rise as a result of repeated medical treatment, and social medical resources are seriously wasted.  The coexistence of cardiovascular disease and psychosomatic problems seriously affects patients’ normal work and life, and even increases the risk of cardiovascular events, which should be taken seriously.  Patients with cardiac neurosis often present with cardiovascular symptoms at the onset, mainly palpitations, precordial stuffiness and shortness of breath, often combined with certain physical symptoms that are difficult to explain in cardiovascular disease, with variable symptoms and lack of interconnectedness, and lack of positive signs on physical examination.  The treatment of cardiac neurosis can be based on psychotherapy, supplemented by medication and physical exercise, and advocates the treatment model of “double heart medicine”, which focuses not only on the heart but also on the psychology of the patient.  Since there is no authoritative and clear statement on the cause of cardiac neurosis, and there are important correlations with neurological type, endocrine and genetic factors, there is no single drug that can have significant effect on cardiac neurosis. Therefore, anxiolytic medications may be used in patients with significant anxiety symptoms along with active and rational treatment of comorbid organic cardiovascular disease. Psycho-psycho-behavioral treatment, such as psychological guidance and behavior modification, should also be considered.  In addition, some patients with cardiac neurosis are afraid to engage in normal physical activities and physical exercise because they are suspicious of the seriousness of their condition, and they even need to be taken care of in their daily lives. Therefore, according to their own situation, they should choose suitable activities and exercises, adhere to the principle of gradual and persistent, and gradually increase the amount and duration of activities, such as household chores, outdoor walks, travel and other activities that are appropriate to their age and physical condition.  Cardiac neurosis is very common in clinical practice, a reasonable understanding of the emotional disorders of the self, the establishment of the concept of double “heart”, not only to pay attention to the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease, but also to the prevention and treatment of mental illness, the two complement each other, one is indispensable.