Humanistic Studies and Social Researches

Abstract Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the foremost cause of death worldwide . Although established risk factors such as hypertension and smoking are well-recognized, a considerable amount of CVD risk remains unaccounted for, shifting focus toward psychosocial influences . Emotional suppression—the deliberate inhibition of emotional expression—constitutes an ineffective emotion regulation strategy with possible cardiotoxic effects.
Objective: This narrative review seeks to consolidate contemporary psychophysiological research to clarify the mechanisms through which habitual emotional suppression elevates CVD risk and contributes to adverse health outcomes.
Methods: A thorough literature review was performed using PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science for publications between 1990 and 2025. Search terms included "emotional suppression," "expressive inhibition," "cardiovascular disease," "autonomic nervous system," "cortisol," "inflammation," and "endothelial function." Emphasis was placed on human studies exploring physiological pathways or clinical correlations.
Results: Current findings indicate that emotional suppression reliably initiates harmful psychophysiological processes: (1) amplified and sustained sympathetic nervous system activity alongside reduced parasympathetic function, (2) dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, (3) heightened inflammatory responses, and (4) acute and potentially persistent endothelial impairment. Epidemiological research further connects trait suppression with greater incidence of hypertension, coronary artery disease, and cardiovascular mortality.
Conclusion: Chronic emotional suppression operates as a meaningful psychosocial stressor, fostering a pathogenic internal environment that accelerates atherosclerosis and cardiovascular incidents. Incorporating emotion regulation evaluation into cardiovascular risk assessment and implementing focused psychological interventions offer promising strategies for enhancing preventive cardiology within a biopsychosocial model.