A major European heart organization just released a comprehensive guide showing that stress, depression, and anxiety can double your risk of heart disease. The report reviewed nearly 700 scientific studies and found that mental health and heart health are deeply connected—problems with one often lead to problems with the other. The good news? Doctors can now work together as teams to help both your mind and your heart at the same time. This guide is pushing hospitals and clinics to create better systems for treating patients who struggle with both mental and heart issues.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How mental health problems like stress, depression, and anxiety affect heart disease risk and how doctors should treat patients with both conditions
  • Who participated: This wasn’t a single study with participants—instead, experts reviewed 687 different research studies to create one big guideline for doctors across Europe
  • Key finding: Chronic stress, depression, anxiety, and trauma can increase your heart disease risk by up to 100% (double). These mental health issues often go hand-in-hand with unhealthy habits like smoking and poor diet, which makes the problem worse
  • What it means for you: If you have heart disease or heart disease risk factors, getting help for depression or anxiety isn’t just good for your mood—it’s important for your heart health too. Talk to your doctor about your mental health, not just your physical symptoms

The Research Details

This is a consensus statement, which means it’s not a new research study. Instead, leading heart doctors from across Europe looked at 687 existing scientific studies about the connection between mental health and heart disease. They analyzed all this research together to create one big guideline that doctors can use. Think of it like a teacher reading 687 different textbooks and then writing one clear summary for students.

The doctors who created this statement looked at how stress, depression, anxiety, and trauma affect the heart. They also looked at how having heart disease can cause mental health problems. They examined why some patients don’t get proper treatment and what doctors can do to fix these problems. The statement includes recommendations called the ‘ACTIVE principles’ that suggest how hospitals should organize their care.

This approach is important because it brings together all the best evidence in one place. Instead of doctors having to read hundreds of studies themselves, they now have one clear guide. This helps make sure that patients with both mental and heart problems get the right treatment from doctors who work together as a team.

This is a high-quality summary because it’s based on 687 scientific studies reviewed by leading European heart experts. However, it’s important to understand that this is a guideline based on existing research, not brand new research itself. The strength of the recommendations depends on the quality of the studies they reviewed. Some findings are very strong (supported by many studies), while others are still being researched.

What the Results Show

The research shows a clear two-way connection between mental health and heart disease. First, mental health problems increase heart disease risk: chronic stress, depression, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can each increase your cardiovascular risk by up to 100%. This means if you have one of these conditions, your risk of heart problems roughly doubles compared to someone without these mental health issues.

Second, the connection goes both ways. Having a serious heart condition can cause significant emotional distress and mental health problems. People diagnosed with heart disease often develop anxiety or depression because the diagnosis feels life-threatening.

Third, mental health problems and unhealthy behaviors are linked. People with depression, anxiety, or chronic stress are more likely to smoke, eat poorly, avoid exercise, and become overweight—all of which increase heart disease risk even more.

The statement emphasizes that family members and caregivers of heart patients also suffer emotional stress and often need support themselves. Additionally, people with serious mental illnesses often don’t receive adequate heart care because of stigma and discrimination.

The statement highlights that different mental health conditions affect the heart in different ways. Depression appears to have particularly strong effects on heart disease risk. The combination of mental health problems plus unhealthy lifestyle choices creates a ‘double hit’ that significantly increases risk. The report also notes that treatment of mental health conditions may help reduce heart disease risk, though more research is needed in this area.

This 2025 statement represents a major update and expansion of previous guidance. It’s more comprehensive than earlier recommendations and emphasizes the importance of integrated care—where heart doctors and mental health doctors work together. The statement calls this approach ‘psychocardiology’ and positions it as a new specialty that bridges two medical fields that were traditionally separate.

This is a review of existing research, not a new study, so it’s limited by the quality of studies already published. Some areas have strong evidence (like the connection between depression and heart disease), while others need more research. The statement is focused on European healthcare systems, so some recommendations may need adjustment in other countries. Additionally, while the connection between mental health and heart disease is clear, we still don’t fully understand all the ways they affect each other.

The Bottom Line

If you have heart disease or heart disease risk factors, ask your doctor about screening for depression, anxiety, and chronic stress (Confidence: High). If you have mental health conditions like depression or anxiety, tell your cardiologist or heart doctor about them (Confidence: High). Consider working with both a heart doctor and a mental health professional who can coordinate your care (Confidence: Moderate to High). If you’re a family member caring for someone with heart disease, seek support for your own mental health (Confidence: Moderate).

Everyone with heart disease or heart disease risk factors should pay attention to this. People with depression, anxiety, PTSD, or chronic stress should know their heart health matters. Family members caring for heart patients should recognize they need support too. Healthcare providers should use this to improve how they treat patients. People with serious mental illnesses should advocate for better heart disease screening and treatment.

Mental health treatment may help reduce heart disease risk, but this isn’t a quick fix. Benefits typically develop over weeks to months as you work with healthcare providers. Some improvements in lifestyle (like reduced stress) might help your heart within weeks, but major changes in heart disease risk take months to years. The most important thing is starting treatment and maintaining it consistently.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your stress levels daily (1-10 scale) and your mood (good/okay/bad) alongside any heart-related symptoms like chest discomfort or shortness of breath. This helps you see if mental stress connects to physical symptoms.
  • Use the app to set reminders for stress-reduction activities (like 10-minute breathing exercises or walks) and to track when you do them. Also use it to remind yourself to take mental health medications if prescribed, just like heart medications.
  • Create a weekly check-in where you review your stress and mood patterns. Share this data with both your heart doctor and mental health provider so they can see the full picture of your health and adjust treatment if needed.

This summary is based on a clinical consensus statement and should not replace professional medical advice. If you have heart disease, mental health concerns, or both, please consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your treatment or lifestyle. The findings in this statement represent current medical understanding but are not a substitute for personalized medical evaluation. If you’re experiencing thoughts of self-harm or a mental health crisis, contact emergency services or a crisis helpline immediately.