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Association between arterial stiffness, stress and depression among undergraduate medical students in India

A Logesh Priyan1, Shobha M V1, Jagadamba Aswathappa1

  • 1Department of Physiology, Sri Devraj urs Academy of Higher Education & Research, Tamaka, Kolar, Karnataka, India.

Bioinformation
|March 30, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Psychological stress and depression are linked to arterial stiffness in medical students. Early screening for mental health may help identify cardiovascular risks in young adults.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Psychological Medicine
  • Medical Education

Background:

  • Arterial stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events.
  • Psychological factors may influence early vascular changes, particularly in younger populations.
  • Understanding these links is crucial for preventative health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between psychological stress, depression, and arterial stiffness measures in undergraduate medical students.
  • To assess if psychological screening tools can serve as early indicators of cardiovascular risk.

Main Methods:

  • 153 undergraduate medical students participated in the study.
  • Arterial stiffness was measured using brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (CFPWV), brachial-ankle stiffness index (BASI), and ankle-brachial index (ABI).
  • Psychological assessments included Beck's Depression Inventory and the Perceived Stress Scale.

Main Results:

  • 92.2% of participants reported mild depression, and 83.7% reported mild stress.
  • Significant associations were found between depression scores and baPWV, CFPWV, BASI, and ABI.
  • Higher depression scores correlated with increased arterial stiffness markers.

Conclusions:

  • Psychological screening tools, like depression and stress inventories, can potentially act as early cardiovascular risk markers.
  • Findings support the integration of mental health screening and cardiovascular prevention programs for medical students.
  • Addressing psychological well-being may be vital for mitigating long-term cardiovascular risks in this demographic.

Keywords:
Arterial stiffnesscardiovascular riskdepressionmedical studentspulse wave velocitystress

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