Ann Afr Med. 2026 May 15. doi: 10.4103/aam.aam_787_25. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of mortality worldwide, with lifestyle factors such as diet, psychological health, and sleep quality playing pivotal roles in its etiology. This review explores the interconnected pathophysiological mechanisms through which ultra-processed foods, psychological stress and depression, high-fat diets, and poor sleep contribute to CVD risk, focusing on shared pathways including inflammation, neuroendocrine dysregulation, mitochondrial impairment, and genetic/epigenetic alterations.
PMID:42144796 | DOI:10.4103/aam.aam_787_25