engleski

Psychological profile in patients after acute myocardial infarction related to obesity

Purpose: To determine obesity-related psychological specifics in patients after acute myocardial infarction. Methods: The study included 109 men and 28 women during the first month after acute myocardial infarction (MI). The ratio of respondents reflects the natural distribution of these problems in the population. In the sample, there were 30% overweight men, while 58% of them had obesity grade I., 12% obesity grade II. and III. Also, we found 11% overweight women, 71% in the range of obesity grade I. and 18% in grade II. or III. All male patients had the waist greater than 94cm, while 3/4 of them exceed 102cm. All women in the sample have a waist circumference greater than 88cm. The ratio of waist / hips higher than 0.90 was found in all men, while the waist / hip ratio higher than 0.85 was found in 86% of women. All patients completed questionnaires related to psychological functioning: anxiety, depression, anger expression and control, dissatisfaction with the body shape, and symptoms of binge eating disorders. Results: In the sample, there were 11% patients who showed symptoms of anxiety, while 2.8% showed symptoms of depression, 22.5% had difficulty controlling anger, and 27.4% had problems with their expressions of anger. There were 9.5% patients with symptoms of binge eating, while 1.5% showed all typical characteristics of this disorder. We also obtained a statistically significant difference in body dissatisfaction and binge-eating symptoms in patients with different degrees of obesity. Obesity grade II. and III. patients were very unhappy with their body figure compared to patients with obesity grade I. and with overweight patients. Obesity grade I. patients were significantly more dissatisfied compared to overweight patients and obese patients were significantly more likely to overeat than overweight. Gender differences in psychological characteristics that have been reviewed appeared only in the open expression of anger and aggression given that men expressed anger more frequently than women. Conclusion: Anxiety, anger and binge-eating are significant psychological determinants of overweight and obese post-MI patients that inevitably define the overall approach to the treatment. Additional studies are needed to confirm our results and to compare them with those in patients after acute MI and normal BMI. The possible impact of psychological disorders correction on the long-term outcome also requires additional research.

psychological profile; acute myocardial infarction; obesity

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