Stress and cardiovascular risk burden after the pandemic: current status and future prospects

ABSTRACT

Introduction

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has induced an increase in anxiety, stress, and depression in the world population, prompting a reevaluation of these well-known risk factors on cardiovascular burden.

Areas covered

This short report analyzes the impact of the pandemic on stress and depression, highlighting how the phenomenon has particularly affected women and highlights the strategies that can be undertaken after the pandemic to reduce stress and depression. We have analyzed the pandemic because it has completely changed the scenario of cardiovascular risk factors with an important increase in socio-economic stressors

Expert opinion

It is still difficult to assess the damage produced on cardiovascular risk just as it is almost impossible to predict how the overwhelming and important increase in Long-Covid Syndromes will impact the population. Strong action is needed to support critical situations and to implement social campaigns aimed at restoring healthy lifestyles. Physical activity can be an easy and inexpensive tool to help cope with stress and depression.

KEYWORDS:

• Anxiety
• cardiovascular disease
• depression
• gender
• lifestyle
• stress

Article highlights

• The recent COVID-19 pandemic has induced several socio-economic stressors in the world population,

• Pandemic completely changed the scenario of cardiovascular risk factors with an increase in anxiety, stress, and depression

• Long-Covid Syndromes is now developing and will impact the health of population

• Healthy lifestyle could help to manage stress and anxiety

• Physical activity can be an easy and inexpensive tool to help cope with stress and depression

• Action to recovered healthy lifestyle is needed

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.