Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death
worldwide,1 making it a major public health problem.
Positive psychologic constructs, such as optimism and
positive affect, are associated with reduced mortality
in patients with and without pre-existing cardiac
disease,2–4 along with fewer rehospitalizations in
patients with heart failure5 and increased survival
following cardiac surgery.6 Such effects on cardiac
health appear to be independent of negative affective
states,4 suggesting that it is not simply an absence of
depression that confers the cardiovascular benefit
associated with positive emotions.