Family practice
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Review
The role of social support in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease. A literature review.
A possible effect of social support on the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease (CHD) would have practical implications, especially from a general practitioner's point of view. This paper reviews studies on the relationship between social support and CHD/CHD risk factors. ⋯ This conclusion is supported by several investigations indicating that social support is capable of moderating potentially harmful negative emotions and the potentially harmful cardiovascular response to psychological challenge. However, a lack of control with personality factors in most of the studies makes this conclusion uncertain.