Harvard researchers found a positive outlook is good for the health and recovery of heart attack patients. Two weeks following an attack, heart patients with an optimistic attitude had less chances of being readmitted.
Notably, optimistic patients were more physically active six months post-attack compared to patients who were less optimistic. The 164-patient study analyzed heart patients' level of gratitude and optimism post-attack.
"In contrast, gratitude, assessed right after the heart attack, actually had no effect on readmissions or increasing physical activity," said lead researchers and psychiatry assistant professor Dr. Jeff Huffman from Harvard University.
The study exposed not all positive emotions have the same potential impacts on the patient's heart health. Optimism is a forward-thinking emotion. Findings suggest that optimism could coax patients to feel they are capable of making healthy changes and actually succeed in doing so.
On the other hand, gratitude focuses on present and past events. As a positive emotion, gratitude has its perks but they are less involved in making steps towards healthy life changes.
The association between optimism and better health effects are impartial of the patients' sex, age, and fitness or health state prior to the heart attack. Finding ways to foster optimism post-attack can improve recovery among patients, added Huffman.
The research analyzed heart patients who participated in the GRACE study. Between 2012 and 2014, the patients were admitted in hospitals for acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
Two weeks post-admission, researchers used the Gratitude Questionnaire-6 scores and Life Orientation Test-Revised to measure their gratitude and optimism rates. After six months, the patients were analyzed again. This time, their inflammatory biomarkers, heart disease readmission and health management steps were tallied.
Alice H. Lichtenstein from Tufts University, who wasn't involved in the study, commended on the study and found the results very encouraging. Lichtenstein added that doctors should focus on the evaluation of patient's optimism rates post-attack. When necessary, doctors should offer care aimed at increasing the optimism rates.
The promising results were published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes on Dec. 8.
