Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this project was to evaluate the intensity of anxiety and its relation with hypertension, the level of serum lipids, and symptoms of cardiovascular diseases.

Method: 606 males and females between the ages of 35-65 residing in Tehran were selected by random-cluster sampling and participated as the subjects of this descriptive-cross sectional study. The subjects' blood pressure, serum lipids (via enzymatic methods), and symptoms of cardiovas-cular diseases were evaluated by physicians. The intensity of their anxiety was determined by Zig- mond and Snaith questionnaires. Data were analyzed by t-test, analysis of variance, and c².

Findings: The intensity of anxiety was observed significantly more in women than men. There was a significant correlation between the intensity of anxiety with systolic and diastolic hypertension and low levels of HDL Cholesterol. However, there was not a significant correlation between the intensity of anxiety with total Cholesterol, LDL Cholesterol, and triglycerides. Neither was there a significant correlation between the intensity of anxiety with chest pain, palpitation, and myocar-dial failure.

Results: Presence of anxiety is related to some risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.