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Stressed brain, diseased heart : a review on the pathophysiologic mechanisms of neurocardiology

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Bibliographic Details
Summary:Cardiovascular diseases are traditionally related to well known risk factors like dyslipidemia, smoking, diabetes and hypertension. More recently, stress, anxiety and depression have been proposed as risk factors for cardiovascular diseases including heart failure, ischemic disease, hypertension and arrhythmias. Interestingly, this association has been established largely on the basis of epidemiological data, due to insufficient knowledge on the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms. This review will revisit evidence on the interaction between the cardiovascular and nervous systems, highlighting the perspective on how the central nervous system is involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Such knowledge is likely to be of relevance for the development of better strategies to treat patients in a holistic perspective.
Main Authors:Pereira, Vitor H.
Other Authors:Cerqueira, João; Palha, Joana Almeida; Sousa, Nuno
Subject:Cardiovascular diseases Central nervous system Neurocardiology Pathophysiology Chronic stress
Year:2013
Country:Portugal
Document type:article
Access type:open access
Associated institution:Universidade do Minho
Language:English
Origin:RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
Description
Summary:Cardiovascular diseases are traditionally related to well known risk factors like dyslipidemia, smoking, diabetes and hypertension. More recently, stress, anxiety and depression have been proposed as risk factors for cardiovascular diseases including heart failure, ischemic disease, hypertension and arrhythmias. Interestingly, this association has been established largely on the basis of epidemiological data, due to insufficient knowledge on the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms. This review will revisit evidence on the interaction between the cardiovascular and nervous systems, highlighting the perspective on how the central nervous system is involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Such knowledge is likely to be of relevance for the development of better strategies to treat patients in a holistic perspective.