Efficacy of Nonconventional Nonpharmacological Interventions in Reducing Cardiovascular Risk: A Narrative Review

Eficacia de las intervenciones no farmacológicas no convencionales en la reducción del riesgo cardiovascular: Revisión narrativa

Authors

  • Joel Sebastian Vintimilla Contreras Universidad Católica de Cuenca
  • Verónica Alexandra Chiriboga Pasca Universidad Católica de Cuenca
  • Juan Antonio Coyago-Íñiguez Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22258/hgh.v10i3.473

Abstract

Introduction: Despite pharmacological advances, residual cardiovascular risk continues to drive high global morbidity and mortality rates. The traditional preventive model frequently overlooks the impact of emerging environmental, behavioral, and biological variables on vascular homeostasis. Objective: To narratively review the contemporary scientific evidence regarding the pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical efficacy of unconventional non-pharmacological interventions in optimizing endothelial function and reducing cardiovascular risk. Methodology: A narrative review of the scientific literature was conducted across the PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, SciELO, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases. Randomized clinical trials, cohort studies, and meta-analyses in English and Spanish were selected using DeCS/MeSH descriptors and Boolean operators. Results: Six unconventional therapeutic axes were identified and analyzed: optimization of sleep architecture via CPAP, hermetic thermal stress through passive thermotherapy, mitigation of the urban exposome (noise and PM2,5 pollution), structured exposure to green spaces (biophilia), mechanical eradication of dysbiotic periodontal biofilms, and neuroendocrine modulation via animal-assisted therapy. These strategies demonstrated a measurable positive impact on hemodynamic parameters, a reduction in systemic pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6,hs-CRP,TNF-a), an increase in flow-mediated dilation, and optimization of heart rate variability. Conclusions: Unconventional non-pharmacological interventions represent effective, low-cost coadjutant tools. Their systematic integration into clinical practice enables a translational and multidimensional approach capable of mitigating chronic residual cardiovascular risk. Keywords: Environmental Pollutants; Endothelium Vascular; Heart Disease Risk Factors; Animal Assisted Therapy (Source: MeSH, NLM).

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Author Biographies

Joel Sebastian Vintimilla Contreras, Universidad Católica de Cuenca

Medical Intern, Hospital de Especialidades Eugenio Espejo, Quito, Ecuador. Medical Student, Universidad Católica de Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador.

Verónica Alexandra Chiriboga Pasca, Universidad Católica de Cuenca

Medical student at the Catholic University of Cuenca.

Juan Antonio Coyago-Íñiguez , Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador.

Physician, Specialist in Internal Medicine, Catholic University of Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador.

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Published

2026-09-15

How to Cite

Vintimilla Contreras, J. S., Chiriboga Pasca, V. A., & Coyago-Íñiguez , J. A. (2026). Efficacy of Nonconventional Nonpharmacological Interventions in Reducing Cardiovascular Risk: A Narrative Review: Eficacia de las intervenciones no farmacológicas no convencionales en la reducción del riesgo cardiovascular: Revisión narrativa. Peruvian Journal of Health Care and Global Health, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.22258/hgh.v10i3.473

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Section

Reviews