A Change of Heart: Recovering from Heart Disease

Patricia Morley is professor emerita of English and Canadian Studies at
Concordia University and an avid outdoor recreationist. She is also the
author of The Mountain Is Moving: Japanese Women’s Lives, Kurlek, and
Margaret Laurence: The Long Journey Hom

Heart disease and stroke claim more lives in Canada than any other cause
of death and cost the Canadian economy more than $18 billion each year.
Psychiatrist Brian Baker and cardiologist Paul Dorian, both researchers
in the field, have cooperated in a study partly funded by the Heart and
Stroke Foundation of Canada. Their work, and this book, have been
supported by the foundation with a view to targeting the needs of
heart-attack survivors and their families, friends, and caregivers.

A Change of Heart is based on medical knowledge and experience, and on
cardiac-patient histories. Its particular contribution stems from the
authors’ research into the emotional state of cardiac patients and
into how emotions relate to recovery. Unlike most other writers on
cardiac problems, Baker and Dorian point to undeniable links between a
patient’s state of mind and feelings and his or her ability to recover
from heart attack or other coronary events. They analyze the nature of
stress and stress management. Their clear and practical analysis affords
useful strategies for every stage of coronary recuperation. There are
case histories, a glossary, and two pages of recommended readings. A
solid contribution to the field.