Interpersonal violence: Serious sequelae for heart disease in women

Mazza, Marianna; Marano, Giuseppe; Gonsalez del Castillo, Angela; Chieffo, Daniela; Albano, Gabriella; Biondi-Zoccai, Giuseppe; Galiuto, Leonarda; Sani, Gabriele; Romagnoli, Enrico

Experiencing various forms of violence in either childhood or adulthood has been associated with cardiovascular disease, both shortly after the event and during follow-up, particularly in women. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has heightened the risk of domestic violence with serious sequelae for mental and cardiovascular health in women, possibly due to several contributing factors, ranging from lockdown, stay at home regulations, job losses, anxiety, and stress. Accordingly, it remains paramount to enforce proactive preventive strategies, at both the family and individual level, maintain a high level of attention to recognize all forms of violence or abuse, and guarantee a multidisciplinary team approach for victims of interpersonal or domestic violence in order to address physical, sexual, and emotional domains and offer a personalized care.