Ineffective stress-coping in Africans is associated with cardiac ischemia during acute mental stress. Ischemic conditions may be worsened by stress-induced release of glial-derived S100‑calcium-binding-protein β (S100B), which is pro-apoptotic for cardiomyocytes. Whether estradiol as coping regulator and cardio-protective factor will protect against pro-apoptotic effects, remains unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In a South African bi-ethnic cohort, defensive (DefS)/social support/avoidance coping strategies have been shown to influence cardiac troponin T (cTnT) levels through different stress signalling pathways. Personality traits (extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, openness to experience, agreeableness) partially control stress coping responses and may affect prospective cardiac responses. Hence in this cohort, we aimed to examine relationships between personality traits and coping strategies, and to assess associations between cTnT changes over time, personality traits and coping strategies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Defensive coping (DefS) was associated with a vulnerable cardiovascular profile in blacks. The copeptin/vasopressin system is a manifestation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis activity and may act as an acute compensatory mechanism when there is a disruption in volume-loading homeostasis, i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Defensive coping (DefS) was associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) susceptibility in Blacks. Whether coping strategies will associate with sub-clinical left ventricular hypertrophy (electrocardiographic-left ventricular hypertrophy [ECG-LVH] or Cornell product), cardiomyocyte injury and blood pressure (BP), is unclear. Therefore, we assessed relationships between ECG-LVH, cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and 24-hour BP in bi-ethnic groups when habitually utilising a certain coping style, and these groups when having a stress-related cTnT cut-point of 4.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Taxing psychosocial stress and defensive coping have been associated with hypoactivity in cortisol, a vasoconstrictive agent. Estradiol has vasodilatory properties with cardio- and neuroprotective effects. It can however also induce α-adrenergic vasoconstrictive responsiveness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: A dissociation between behavioural (in-control) and physiological parameters (indicating loss-of-control) is associated with cardiovascular risk in defensive coping (DefS) Africans. We evaluated relationships between DefS, sub-clinical atherosclerosis, low-grade inflammation and hypercoagulation in a bi-ethnic sex cohort.
Methods: Black (Africans) and white Africans (Caucasians) (n = 375; aged 44.
Objectives: Defensive coping (DefS) in Blacks has been associated with greater cardiovascular risk than in their White counterparts. We examined associations between endothelial function mental stress responses and markers of vascular structure in a bi-ethnic cohort.
Methods: We examined vascular function and structure in 368 Black (43.
Specific coping mechanisms of Africans during urbanization were compared to and correlated with cardiovascular responses and perception of health data. Subjects included men (N=286) and women (N=360). The COPE questionnaire classified subjects as active (AC) or passive (PC) copers and the General Health Questionnaire measured subjective perception of health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purpose of this study was to compare active and passive coping strategies of Africans with perception of own health and cardiovascular data. The subjects included 236 apparently healthy Africans (men=109; women=127). The COPE questionnaire was adapted, translated and validated for Africans.
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