Women who experienced being stalked are more than 40 per cent likely to develop heart disease and stroke, according to an alarming study on Monday.

About 1 in 3 women have been stalked at some point in their lives, according to data on intimate partner violence collected by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study, published in the American Heart Association’s flagship journal Circulation, noted that common forms of violence against women, such as stalking or stalking harassment behaviours, such as receiving unsolicited correspondence, that make them fearful, are rarely discussed in cardiovascular research.