Chronic heart disease impacts more than 17 million Americans, and lifestyle and mental health problems are major contributors to the everyday burden of this disease. In this brief yet thorough primer, Matthew Burg - an expert in the psychosocial aspects of cardiovascular medicine - provides mental health practitioners with the foundational knowledge they need to understand and work with cardiac patients. Burg describes how psychologists can help cardiac patients adjust to their conditions, for example by changing unhealthy behaviors and coping with invasive medical interventions, including surgeries and implantable devices. He also introduces readers to specific assessment and intervention methods that can be applied to a variety of comorbid psychological disorders, including depression, anxiety, sleep dysregulation, and sexual dysfunction. Special attention is given to the role that family and other social networks play in the development and treatment of heart disease. Burg also uses the palliative care model to illustrate how clinicians can provide relief to patients facing end-of-life dilemmas.
