APA Dictionary of Psychology

an ongoing longitudinal investigation of the effects of psychosocial and biological risk factors on subclinical cardiovascular disease in otherwise healthy older adults. The major outcome being studied is intima-medial thickness (IMT) inside carotid arterial walls, a measure that reflects the extent and progression of atherosclerosis and can signal an increased risk of myocardial infarction and stroke, even in the absence of observable symptoms. The PHHP also measures continuing psychological demands on its participants; results suggest that such demands correlate with IMT progression and that interventions addressing stress may limit progression, thereby decreasing the risk of heart disease.