Patologias cardiovasculares : aspectos mentais, emocionais e espirituais.

Abstract

This article aimed to find out if emotional, mental and spiritual aspects affect the development of cardiovascular pathologies. This study used a semi-structured, qualitative interview applied in a teaching hospital in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, which sets a benchmark for the high-complexity cardiovascular care by the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS). The research was conducted in a surgical unit through the data collection of 12 patients diagnosed with some type of cardiovascular disease. The method was a 12-item questionnaire focusing on personal and clinical aspects. The respondents were predominantly male of ages varying between 52 to 79 whose main reason for hospitalization was the Acute Myocardial Infarction. Most patients did not consider their routine stressful before the diagnosis of the disease. Also, they reported having faith, being affectionate and getting on well with other people. Many of them could not express their feelings well or did not believe having a change in their emotional condition after their discharge from hospital. Finally, evidences found in respondent’s data support the idea that mental, emotional and spiritual aspects influence the development of cardiovascular diseases, proving how important it is to take patients’ feelings, thought and expression into consideration.