# Perceived Social Support, Heart Rate Variability, and Hopelessness in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO · 2022 · $44,189

## Abstract

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, with ischemic heart disease (IHD) the
leading cause of cardiovascular mortality. Persons with IHD suffering from psychological distress, including
hopelessness, are more likely to die from IHD. Following a stressful event, the vagus nerve enables activation
of either a sympathetic (fight/flight) or parasympathetic (rest/digest) response. Heart rate variability (HRV), the
beat-to-beat variability between normal successive heart beats, is a biomarker of both adaptive and
maladaptive reactions to stress. Decreased HRV predicts greater risk for morbidity and mortality and is
associated with poor mental health outcomes in persons with IHD. As stated by polyvagal theory, HRV may be
influenced by social support. Decreased perceived social support (PSS), a social determinant of cardiovascular
risk, is predictive of increased morbidity and mortality in persons with IHD. Decreased PSS has been
associated with hopelessness in patients with cancer, but this relationship has not been studied in IHD beyond
the applicant’s small pilot study of patients with hopelessness. Hopelessness, a negative outlook and sense of
helplessness about the future, is present in 27-52% of patients with IHD. This is of grave concern, because
hopelessness is associated with a 3.4 times increased risk of mortality and nonfatal myocardial infarction in
patients with IHD, independent of depression. This research focuses on understanding the biological (HRV)
and social (PSS) aspects of hopelessness, with the long-term goal of developing and testing novel
interventions to reduce the adverse effects of hopelessness and improve health outcomes in patients with IHD.
Participants for this cross-sectional study will be recruited while hospitalized for an IHD event. Participants will
include patients who report moderate to severe hopelessness from the sponsor’s NIH-funded study (n = 225);
additional patients with minimal to no hopelessness will be recruited and enrolled by the applicant (n = 45).
Data collection will take place remotely two weeks after hospital discharge. The applicant’s training goals are
focused on a strong foundation in IHD pathophysiology; HRV science and measurement; research design,
methods, conduct, and analytical techniques; and team science. The research training will take place in the
rich scientific environment at the University of Illinois Chicago. Specific aims include: Aim 1) Evaluate the
relationship between HRV and hopelessness in patients with IHD; Aim 2) Determine the relationship between
PSS and hopelessness in patients with IHD; and Aim 3) Explore the possible mediating effect of HRV on the
relationship between PSS and hopelessness in patients with IHD. The outcomes of this proposed study and
the training plan will prepare the applicant to launch a program of research focused on the biological and social
dynamics of symptoms experienced in patients with IHD. The proposed research supports NINR...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10449091
- **Project number:** 5F31NR019714-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Madison P Goodyke
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $44,189
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-08-16 → 2023-07-15

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10449091

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10449091, Perceived Social Support, Heart Rate Variability, and Hopelessness in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease (5F31NR019714-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10449091. Licensed CC0.

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