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The aim of this work was to define the notion of cardiac syndrome X based on latest research, determine its connection with mental disturbances and present the current therapeutic directions. Cardiac syndrome X was distinguished in 1973 to describe a group of patients with coronary syndrome symptoms despite normalcoronary vessels in coronarography. Many years have passed since then, but the syndrome definition and the diagnostic criteria still arouse controversy. It is estimated that 10 to 20% of persons who undergo coronarography suffer from cardiac syndrome X, a vast majority of them being perimenopausal women. That patient population suffers from anxiety disorders, depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances much more frequently than does general population. Treatment includes a range of medicines with various mechanisms of action, but their effectiveness is limited; non-pharmacological actions are a significant part of the therapy. The patient group with cardiac syndrome X requires periodic follow-ups because prospective observation has shown that it is a risk group concerning development of atherosclerosis and acute coronary syndrome.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the incidence of depression and anxiety symptoms in patients after cardiac arrest (SCA) in relation to patients with a history of myocardial infarction without SCA and in healthy individuals. The analysis of the impact of selected socio-demographic and clinical parameters and duration of SCA on the presence and severity of depression and anxiety symptoms in different groups was also performed., Methods: The study involved 30 patients after SCA and 31 patients with a history of myocardial infarction without SCA. The control group consisted of 30 healthy subjects. To assess the mental state, a specially developed questionnaire was used, while the presence and severity of the symptoms were assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A)., Results: Statistically, a significantly higher average level of depression and a higher incidence of anxiety was demonstrated in patients after a sudden cardiac arrest (study group) and after myocardial infarction (reference group) compared with the control group. There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of anxiety between the study and reference groups. No impact of the duration of cardiac arrest on the incidence of depression and anxiety symptoms in the study group was observed., Conclusions: In the group of people with a history of cardiac arrest, the most common mental disorder is depression. Anxiety and depression are significantly more frequent in patients with a history of SCA than in healthy individuals. There were no differences in the incidence and severity of depression symptoms in patients after SCA compared to patients after myocardial infarction without SCA. The described socio-demographic parameters and clinical characteristics had no impact on the symptoms of depression and anxiety in the investigated groups.

Aim: The examination referred to two groups of female patients: with and without significant coronary stenoses in coronarography. There were two stages of the examination: before and 6-9 months after coronarography. The factor dividing patients into two groups: without significant atheromatosis and with coronary atheromatosis, was the result of invasive diagnostics of coronary heart disease., Methods: The sense of coherence scale (SOC-29) and sociodemographic questionnaires were used to evaluate the condition of the two groups., Results: In group of patients with irrelevant coronary stenoses statistically lower values of sense of comprehension were noticed in the first and the second examination and also sta- tistically lower values of sense of manage were observed, comparing to the group of patients with significant stenoses. The initial value of general coherence was comparable in both groups and did not significantly change in 6-9 months after coronarography. The characteristic parameters: lack of social support, intensity of depressiveness and anxiety before getting information about necessity of coronarography and worse education were connected with lower sense of coherence., Conclusions: The baseline strength of the total sense of coherence was not different between groups. Patients with no significant stenosis of coronary arteries demonstrate a lower sense of comprehensibility before and after the coronary arteriography and lower sense of manageability after the procedure compared to the group of patients with significant atherosclerotic lesions. No social support, tendency for depression and anxiety and lower level of education were associated with lower sense of coherence in both groups.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of sociodemographic and clinical factors on symptoms of depression in 90 female patients awaiting coronarography., Method: The factor dividing the patients into two groups: those without significant atheromatosis - 48 women and those with coronary atheromatosis - 42 women, was the result of invasive diagnostics of coronary heart disease. BDI (Beck Depression Inventory), HAM-D (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale) and sociodemographic and clinical data questionnaire were used in the study., Results: It was proved that there was a connection between the appearance of increased parameters of depression and more frequent number of annual visits in the Primary Care or Cardiologic Clinic, higher level of depressiveness and anxiety, fear of obtaining information applying to the necessity of coronarography, lack of hormonal replacement therapy and of support from other people. Additionally, it was noticed that the intensity of symptoms were higher for those less educated, those waiting shorter for coronarography and those with hypertension. There were no statistically significant differences in the estimation of depressive states in both groups, neither in prevalence, nor in the intensity., Conclusion: Patients with increased parameters of depression need special therapies and multidisciplinary care.