LONELINESS AS A RISK FACTOR FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

Aleksandra Woźniak; Aleksandra Straszewska; Patrycja Sobantka; Szymon Mokrzecki; Matylda Król; Anna Mamach; Katarzyna  Aleksandrowicz; Zofia  Grodzka; Mateusz Meszka; Ewa Bełc; Karolina Brzezińska

doi:10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.6168

Authors

Aleksandra Woźniak Norbert Barlicki University Clinical Hospital No. 1 in Łódź, Łódź, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5382-1451
Aleksandra Straszewska Central Teaching Hospital of Medical University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6293-9689
Patrycja Sobantka Central Teaching Hospital of Medical University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3128-5181
Szymon Mokrzecki Norbert Barlicki University Clinical Hospital No. 1 in Łódź, Łódź, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0005-8228-2711
Matylda Król Copernicus Memorial Hospital, Łódź, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7759-4933
Anna Mamach Norbert Barlicki University Clinical Hospital No. 1 in Łódź, Łódź, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5934-8674
Katarzyna Aleksandrowicz Medical University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0008-5935-8265
Zofia Grodzka Independent Public Health Care Complex named after Marshal Józef Piłsudski in Płońsk (SPZZOZ): Płońsk, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0904-810X
Mateusz Meszka Central Teaching Hospital of Medical University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6147-7000
Ewa Bełc USK No. 2, Medical University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0224-8162
Karolina Brzezińska Medical University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4403-6060

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.6168

Keywords:

Loneliness, Cardiovascular Disease, Isolation, Inflammation, HPA Axis

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of death worldwide, and growing evidence identifies loneliness as an independent psychosocial risk factor for cardiovascular health. This narrative review summarizes current evidence on the biological and behavioral mechanisms linking loneliness with CVD, based on peer-reviewed studies published between 2021 and 2026 retrieved from PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. The literature indicates that loneliness acts as a chronic stressor, promoting activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and sympathetic nervous system, which contributes to systemic inflammation, impaired heart rate variability, and increased allostatic load. In addition, it encourages unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity, and social withdrawal, further increasing cardiovascular risk. Overall, the evidence suggests that loneliness contributes to both the development and progression of CVD through interconnected biological and behavioral pathways. As a modifiable risk factor, loneliness should be identified early in clinical practice, and addressed through interventions such as social prescribing, cognitive behavioral approaches, and community-based programs.

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