The Heart-Mind Association: Mental Health Challenges Faced By Patients With Heart Disease
Written by Mariana Kessler, March 2026
Mental Health
Defined as ‘a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community’ (World Health Organization, 2025), mental health has intrinsic and instrumental value to our lives, shaping the way we perceive ourselves, other people, and the environment surrounding us. A set of mental disorders, psychosocial disabilities, and other mental states associated with significant distress, impairment of functioning, or risk of self-harm are categorized as mental health conditions. Since the understanding of mental health is heterogeneous and varies from one person to another, every individual is susceptible to developing a mental health condition, but those who are exposed to adverse conditions are at a higher risk (World Health Organization, 2025).
Cardiovascular Diseases
Being the leading cause of death globally, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a group of disorders that affect the heart and blood vessels, which include: coronary heart disease, congenital heart disease, heart failure, rheumatic heart disease, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and others (World Health Organization, 2025). A person living with a CVD may be symptomatic (physically experiencing the disease) or asymptomatic (not feeling anything at all) (Cleveland Clinic, 2022).
Understanding The Role of Mental Health in Heart Diseases
Although the concepts of mental health and cardiovascular diseases may seem detached and far away from each other, research indicates that there is a close heart-mind relationship (Ski et al., 2025; Borkowski & Borkowska, 2024). The cited relationship is bi-directional, meaning that CVDs can induce or worsen mental health conditions and vice versa (Ski et al., 2025). This article aims to specifically analyze the influence of living with CVDs on patients’ mental health.
First, it is important to consider that a CVD diagnosis represents a radical change in a patient’s life, who begins to experience distress and challenges that go well beyond the physical symptoms (Borkowski & Borkowska, 2024) and may trigger intense emotional responses (Bueno et al., 2025), such as mental health disorders, which often result in poor outcomes such as further heart-related illness and worsened quality of life (Ski et al., 2025). Almost one in three patients with heart disease experience psychological distress, with feelings of depression and anxiety being highly prevalent (Ski et al., 2025). Depending on the severity and symptoms, a heart condition may demand frequent treatment and reduce physical capabilities, leading the patient to develop a sense of constant vulnerability and uncertainty about their future and health (Bueno et al., 2025; Borkowski & Borkowska, 2024), which may disrupt sleep, decrease participation in previously enjoyed activities, and lead to frustration (Borkowski & Borkowska, 2024). The persistent stress and anxiety also activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to elevated cortisol levels and altered cortisol stress reactivity (Borkowski & Borkowska, 2024), traits commonly observed in depression and anxiety disorders: approximately 50% of heart disease patients have experienced a depressive episode in their lifetimes (American Psychological Association, 2011).
In addition, mental health disorders can be brought on after an acute heart disease or cardiac events (American Psychological Association, 2011; Centers for Disease Control, 2024), making the aftermath of a heart attack, stroke, or invasive procedure such as open-heart surgery much more complicated, which can worsen your condition and recovery (American Psychological Association, 2011). The perceived loss of health and independence (Bueno et al., 2025; Borkowski & Borkowska, 2024), combined with a fear that another serious event could occur without warning (American Psychological Association, 2011), are all factors that may contribute to an increased risk of developing mental health disorders or existential concerns.
Prevention & Treatment
To prevent mental health conditions from complicating the recuperation and treatment of a cardiovascular disease, these issues must be quickly recognized and addressed by professionals (American Psychological Association, 2011; Borkowski & Borkowska, 2024). This scenario reveals the need for a holistic approach that integrates both mental and physical aspects (Borkowski & Borkowska, 2024; Ski et al., 2025). The adoption of psychological interventions, along with the maintenance of healthy habits, has shown potential to improve clinical outcomes in those with heart disease and is included in prevention guidelines internationally (Ski et al., 2025).
This Article is written by our volunteer student research team at Feel Every Beat, and is intended for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
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