The Relationship Between Psychological Distress and Bio-behavioral Processes in Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been proven to be the largest contributor to morbidity and mortality in the developed world. By considering the psychosocial factors that have been linked to CVD, this chapter will focus on the role of psychological distress. Existing empirical evidence shows that stress can be considered as a risk factor starting from the early years, while in adulthood the risk associated with distress derives mainly from either social isolation or workplace-related chronic stressors. Both behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms have been proposed to underlie this association, including sustained activation of the sympathetic nervous system and reduced heart rate variability. Finally, we report research emphasizing the potential protective role of positive psychological constructs such as well-being, optimism, and positive affect.