Adverse Childhood Experiences Association with Adulthood Cardiovascular Disease Risks and Development: A Narrative Literature Review
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Trauma exposure in childhood is commonly known as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) which are defined as any trauma experience(s) such as abuse, neglect, or witnessing violence in the household, that occurs prior to the age of 18 and results in harmful, lasting effects. ACEs can lead to extensive long-term psychiatric, psychosocial, and physical poor health outcomes later in adulthood. Specifically, there is a recognized association between early life trauma and an increased risk for the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related health outcomes in adulthood, including both risk factors and clinical CVD. CVD risk factors include but are not limited to behavioral risk factors (e.g., smoking, physical inactivity, healthy diet, etc.), blood pressure, BMI, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and family history of CVD. While clinical CVD includes an array of heart conditions like atherosclerosis, heart attack or heart failure, ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, arrhythmia, and/or heart valve conditions. This narrative literature review aims to consolidate existing evidence from current articles (2018-2024), examining the relationship between ACEs and the development of CVD-related risk factors and/or clinical CVD later in life. This review highlights specific ACE-types including (1.) emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, (2.) emotional and physical neglect, and (3.) childhood domestic violence exposure.
Author: Riedmann, Carly Anne
Language: English
Topic: Child Abuse and Trauma
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7026716105