STRESS RESPONSE AS A PROMINENT CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTOR Ana Elisa Teófilo Saturi de Carvalho, Regina Celia Spadari

Abstract

According to health organizations, at least one third of thediseases that lead people to seek medical care are related tostress. The current conditions of life in the world represent themajor source of stress in humans, the so-called psychosocialstress, caused by the accelerated process of urbanization andunhealthy lifestyles. Stress is defined as the organism responseto any potential or real challenge or threat to its physical oremotional integrity. Stress response is an arrangement ofadaptive mechanisms essential to guarantee survival, whereby aprotective mechanism by preparing the organism to defend, toflee or to adapt to the stressful situation. However, over athreshold, it can be harmful, leading to higher susceptibility todisease. The turning point of stress from a beneficial reaction toa risk factor for diseases, is still unknown. In this review, weassess multiple studies about stress concept, molecularmechanisms of stress response and it physiological implicationsto support the association of stress as a disease risk factor,particularly as a cardiovascular risk factor.