Cardiovascular risk in early bereavement: a literature review and proposed mechanisms.

Buckley, T; McKinley, S; Tofler, G; Bartrop, R

Cardiovascular risk in early bereavement: a literature review and proposed mechanisms.

Buckley, T McKinley, S Tofler, G Bartrop, R

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Int J Nurs Stud, 2010, 47 (2), pp. 229 - 238
Issue Date:: 2010-02

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Buckley, T	en_US
dc.contributor.author	McKinley, S	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Tofler, G	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Bartrop, R	en_US
dc.date.available	2009-06-28	en_US
dc.date.issued	2010-02	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Int J Nurs Stud, 2010, 47 (2), pp. 229 - 238	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/13824
dc.description.abstract	OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this review was to examine the evidence of cardiovascular risk in early bereavement to identify potential risk factors and possible mechanisms for risk that may inform future research directions. DESIGN: A comprehensive search of electronic databases PubMed Medline, CINAHL and PsycINFO, bereavement related textbooks and reviewed reference lists was undertaken on literature related to evidence of increased risk in bereavement. No limits were set on the searches in terms of date or publication type, but only English language articles were selected. FINDINGS: Bereavement represents a time of heightened cardiovascular risk for the surviving spouse. The immediate weeks following bereavement represent the highest risk period with both men and women across all ages. Risk is evident irrespective of the nature of death, expected or unexpected, although higher level of social support at the time of death may be protective. Evidence would suggest that for many, bereavement results in a time of increased psychological stress and potential for altered behavioural health risk factors that in the presence of altered physiological state, may serve as a potential trigger of cardiovascular events, especially in those most at risk. CONCLUSION: The findings from this review provide insight into the impact of early bereavement on health and the recognition that bereavement is associated with increased cardiac risk. This recognition should provide an impetus for individuals to act on cardiac symptoms by seeking medical advice and for health care providers to monitor such individuals more closely.	en_US
dc.language	eng	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Int J Nurs Stud	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2009.06.010	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Nursing	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Cardiovascular Diseases	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Hydrocortisone	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Risk Factors	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Depression	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Anger	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Anxiety	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Bereavement	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Spouses	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Blood Pressure	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Heart Rate	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Social Support	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Aged	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Male	en_US
dc.title	Cardiovascular risk in early bereavement: a literature review and proposed mechanisms.	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	2	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	47	en_US
utslib.location.activity	England	en_US
utslib.for	1110 Nursing	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	2	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	47	en_US

Abstract:

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this review was to examine the evidence of cardiovascular risk in early bereavement to identify potential risk factors and possible mechanisms for risk that may inform future research directions. DESIGN: A comprehensive search of electronic databases PubMed Medline, CINAHL and PsycINFO, bereavement related textbooks and reviewed reference lists was undertaken on literature related to evidence of increased risk in bereavement. No limits were set on the searches in terms of date or publication type, but only English language articles were selected. FINDINGS: Bereavement represents a time of heightened cardiovascular risk for the surviving spouse. The immediate weeks following bereavement represent the highest risk period with both men and women across all ages. Risk is evident irrespective of the nature of death, expected or unexpected, although higher level of social support at the time of death may be protective. Evidence would suggest that for many, bereavement results in a time of increased psychological stress and potential for altered behavioural health risk factors that in the presence of altered physiological state, may serve as a potential trigger of cardiovascular events, especially in those most at risk. CONCLUSION: The findings from this review provide insight into the impact of early bereavement on health and the recognition that bereavement is associated with increased cardiac risk. This recognition should provide an impetus for individuals to act on cardiac symptoms by seeking medical advice and for health care providers to monitor such individuals more closely.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/13824