Women, Stress and Heart Health: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Cardiovascular Disease
Kosin Medical Journal December 31, 2016 DOI: 10.7180/kmj.2016.31.2.103 (opens in new tab)
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPsychological stress, including depression and anxiety, independently raises cardiovascular disease risk, especially in women. Emotional regulation mediates depression and physical illness and alters resting stress responses. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), a structured group program using mindfulness meditation, was developed for chronic pain and is now widely used to reduce psychological distress in chronic illness and treat emotional and behavioral disorders. In cardiovascular disease, MBSR may help control risk factors such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, oxidative and psychosocial stress, obesity, and smoking, and may improve submaximal exercise responses and heart rate variability. The most effective stress reduction therapy remains unestablished, but MBSR is increasingly recognized.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) |
| Key finding | Argues that MBSR may help control several cardiovascular risk factors and improve exercise responses and heart rate variability, though the most effective stress reduction therapy is not yet established. |
Abstract
Psychological stress including depression and anxiety are independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality, especially in women. Emotional regulation plays a mediating role in the development of depression and physical illness, and can alter resting physiologic responses associated with the stress response. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a structured group program that employs mindfulness meditation to alleviate suffering associated with physical, psychosomatic, and psychiatric disorders. MBSR was originally developed for the management of chronic pain, which is now used widely to reduce psychological morbidity associated with chronic illnesses and to treat emotional and behavioral disorders. In cardiovascular disease, MBSR may be helpful for controlling several risk factors for coronary heart disease such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, oxidative and psychosocial stress, obesity, and smoking, and improvements in submaximal exercise responses and heart rate variability. Although the most effective mode of stress reduction therapy is yet to be established, increasing recognition is being given to MBSR therapy.