Mindfulness and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: State of the Evidence, Plausible Mechanisms, and Theoretical Framework.
The purpose of this review is to provide (1) a synopsis on relations of mindfulness with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and major CVD risk factors, and (2) an initial consensus-based overview of mechanisms and theoretical framework by which mindfulness might influence CVD. Initial evidence, often of limited methodological quality, suggests possible impacts of mindfulness on CVD risk factors including physical activity, smoking, diet, obesity, blood pressure, and diabetes regulation. Plausible mechanisms include (1) improved attention control (e.g., ability to hold attention on experiences related to CVD risk, such as smoking, diet, physical activity, and medication adherence), (2) emotion regulation (e.g., improved stress response, self-efficacy, and skills to manage craving for cigarettes, palatable foods, and sedentary activities), and (3) self-awareness (e.g., self-referential processing and awareness of physical sensations due to CVD risk factors). Understanding mechanisms and theoretical framework should improve etiologic knowledge, providing customized mindfulness intervention targets that could enable greater mindfulness intervention efficacy.
Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main St., Providence, RI, 02906, USA. eric.loucks@brown.edu.
Eric B
EB
Loucks
Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Zev
Z
Schuman-Olivier
Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA.|Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School, Providence, RI, USA.
Willoughby B
WB
Britton
Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA.
David M
DM
Fresco
Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Massachussetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Gaelle
G
Desbordes
Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA, USA.|Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA, USA.
Judson A
JA
Brewer
Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA, USA.
Carl
C
Fulwiler
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D064866:Mindfulness; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology
Cardiovascular disease; Etiology; Mindfulness