Stress and cardiovascular disease: an update

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Psychological stress is linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, but findings vary.
• Mechanisms connecting stress and CVD remain largely speculative.
• Physiological stress responses' role in CVD development is understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the role of physiological stress responses in cardiovascular disease risk.
• To investigate the mechanisms linking stress to CVD.
• To highlight the need for better psychological assessment in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing evidence on stress physiology and CVD.
• Analysis of haemodynamic, vascular, and immune system perturbations.
• Discussion of neurobiological regulation of stress response.

Main Results:

• Physiological stress responses, including haemodynamic, vascular, and immune changes, are implicated in CVD risk.
• Brain regions like the corticolimbic system regulate stress responses.
• Interindividual differences in stress vulnerability may stem from variations in regulatory pathways.

Conclusions:

• Physiological stress responses play a fundamental role in cardiovascular disease risk.
• Chronic stress may contribute to CVD through dynamic perturbations in autonomic, immune, and vascular functions.
• Further prospective studies and randomized trials are needed to confirm these links and evaluate interventions.