factors in heart disease. There is strong evidence that suggests a connection between psychological conflict, excessive or prolonged arousal and the etiology of coronary heart disease or systemic hypertension (Sinatra, 1987).
The Type A behavior pattern and hostility have been linked to CHD (Hemingway & Marmot, 1999). Research has also shown a correlation between hostility and high blood pressure (Jorgenson, Absul-Karim, Kuhan, & Frankowski, 1995). Elevated hostility can lead to a reduction of social support, which has also been found to mediate environmental risk factors (Greenglass, 1996). Anger can lead to depression and risk behaviors such as smoking, alcohol, and foods high in saturated fat, in search of relief (Allan & Scheidt, 1993). Though research regarding hostility and CHD has been inconsistent, hostility has been identified as a major risk factor which predisposes the individual to disease.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate archival data from the Dr. Dean Ornish Lifestyle Heart Program to further determine the relationship between hostility and heart. The study will also determine the ability of the Ornish program to lower hostility (as well as the other psychosocial CHD risk factors of depression, social isolation and stress)in CHD patients. The relationship between hostility and the related heart disease predictors, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, will be investigated as well. The results of this study will assist in the understanding of the effects of hostility on CHD and its relationship to physical risk factors such as high blood pressure and/or cholesterol. The findings will help practitioners better understand the interconnectedness between mind, body, and spirit in the healing process for CHD. Since findings from this study will be based on the Ornish program, it will offer further measures of the program's scope and validity, which will present concrete practices to help hea...