Bio-behavioural perspectives on coronary heart disease, hypertension and sudden cardiac death.

A series of research developments is described which together consider the problem of the relationships between behavioural, physiological and pathophysiological processes. Arguments are advanced for the measurement of challenge-induced changes in haemodynamic responses for use in the understanding, prediction and control of coronary heart disease (CHD), hypertension and sudden cardiac death. A methodology is presented as a possible tool for accomplishing this latter goal and preliminary data are reported in support of the feasibility of these methods. Finally, basic pathophysiological mechanisms in cardiovascular disorders are examined in relation to potentially damaging haemodynamic activity.