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REVIEW article

Front. Psychol.
Sec. Health Psychology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1419731

Psychological risk factors and cardiovascular disease

Provisionally accepted
Valeria Carola Valeria Carola *Cristina Vincenzo Cristina Vincenzo Giulia Di Vincenzo Giulia Di Vincenzo Chiara Morale Chiara Morale Valentina Cecchi Valentina Cecchi Giampaolo Nicolais Giampaolo Nicolais *
  • Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Objectives: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of death worldwide, emerging from a combination of several factors. The aim of this review is to define the psychological factors that are significant in the development and progression of these disorders. Methods: Studies published through 2023 concerning adults with psychological vulnerability factors and/or cardiovascular disease were selected through searches of PubMed, PsychINFO, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Results: Psychological stress may influence CVD in combination with other risk factors, or it can act independently, as in cases of workplace stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, Takotsubo syndrome, and bereavement. Coping strategies, anxiety, and depression have also been identified as relevant psychological factors in cardiac patients. Adverse childhood experiences are linked to a reduced quality of life and have been identified as significant risk factors for the development of acquired cardiovascular disease. Conclusions: This review demonstrates that several psychological factors affect cardiovascular function. An in-depth study of the psychological correlates of cardiovascular disorders would allow healthcare professionals to design more effective prevention and intervention programs.

    Keywords: Cardiovascular Diseases, Adverse childhood experiences, Anxiety, Depression, Stress coping strategies

    Received: 22 Apr 2024; Accepted: 06 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Carola, Vincenzo, Di Vincenzo, Morale, Cecchi and Nicolais. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Valeria Carola, Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
    Giampaolo Nicolais, Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.