Psychosomatic Medicine 12:23-37 (1950)
© 1950 American Psychosomatic Society

Life Situations, Emotions, and Paroxysmal Auricular Arrhythmias

¹ Department of Obstetrics of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, N. Y.
² Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University, New Orleans, La.
³ Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry of the Cornell Medical College and the New York Hospital New York, N. Y.

A group of 26 unselected patients with paroxysmal auricular and nodal tachycardia and auricular fibrillation possessed certain common personality features which rendered them unusually subject to the development of sustained anxiety, resentment, conflict and depression in response to stressful life situations.

The life situation and emotional state of the patient was found to be a significant factor in the occurrence of the attacks of arrhythmia, the attacks occurring during periods of tension associated with these pernicious emotional states.

The relationship of life stress to the arrhythmias was equally evident in the 13 patients with structural heart disease of various etiologies and in the 13 with no evidence of such involvement.

Precipitating events such as exertion, tripping, postural changes, and sudden frights were commonly found, but life situation and emotional state greatly influenced the susceptibility to these stimuli.

In 2 cases the occurrence of paroxysmal arrhythmias in association with emotional stress was observed and recorded during experimental interviews.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. V. PERLMAN, S. FERGUSON, K. BERGUM, E. L. ISENBERG, and J. F. HAMMARSTEN Precipitation of Congestive Heart Failure: Social and Emotional Factors Ann Intern Med, July 1, 1971; 75(1): 1 - 7. [Abstract] [PDF]