Bridging the heart–mind divide: Psychiatric implementation of the 2025 ESC mental–CVD consensus

TL;DR

This paper discusses how psychiatry can work with cardiology to better manage mental and cardiovascular health together.

Contribution

The paper proposes three practical priorities for integrating mental and cardiovascular care in psychiatric practice.

Findings

Severe mental illness and cardiac disease-induced PTSD should trigger proactive cardiovascular assessments.

A 'safety bundle' for psychotropic medications is recommended for those with or at risk of cardiovascular disease.

Psychiatrists should use cardiac rehabilitation and physical activity as psychiatric interventions.

Abstract

The 2025 ESC (European Society of Cardiology) Clinical Consensus Statement on mental health and cardiovascular disease is a milestone for psychiatry as much as for cardiology. It recognizes mental disorders as major determinants of cardiovascular (CV) risk and explicitly calls for collaboration with the European Psychiatric Association (EPA). In parallel, the EPA Presidential Action Plan and its “Whole Person Health” task force promote lifestyle‑based, multimorbidity-focused care. From a psychiatric perspective, the challenge is now to translate these frameworks into everyday practice. In this Viewpoint, we propose three priorities. First, severe mental illness (SMI) and cardiac disease-induced post-traumatic stress disorder (CDI-PTSD) should be treated as high‑risk conditions that trigger proactive CV assessment and structured follow‑up. Second, mental‑health services should adopt a simple “safety bundle” for psychotropic medications in people with, or at high risk of, CV disease. Third, psychiatrists should use cardiac rehabilitation, structured physical activity and social prescribing as psychiatric interventions.