The heart-mind relationship in women cardiovascular primary prevention: the role of depression, anxiety, distress and Type-D personality in the 10-years cardiovascular risk evaluation

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death among women. Prevention programmes underscore the need to address women-specific risk factors. Additionally, mental well-being is a significant aspect to consider when grappling with cardiovascular disease in women, particularly depression, anxiety, distress, and personality traits. This study aimed to create "at-risk" psychological profiles for women without prior cardiovascular disease history and to evaluate the association between anxiety, depression, distress, and Type-D personality traits with increased cardiovascular risk over 10 years. Methods: 219 women voluntarily participated in the "Monzino Women's Heart Centre" project for primary prevention and early diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. Psychological profiles were developed utilising cluster analysis. Results: The primary finding indicating that belonging to the "at-risk" psychological cluster was associated with a surge in the 10-year cardiovascular risk prediction score, despite the number of comorbid risk factors (Psychological "at-risk" cluster: β = .0674; p = .006; Risk factors: β = .0199; p = .242). Conclusions: This finding suggests that psychological well-being of women should be assessed from the very beginning of cardiovascular prevention programmes.