Depression and heart disease are among the strongest predictors of death in the first decade, according to a recent study.
Researchers have long understood that heart disease and depression have a two-way relationship, with depression increasing the likelihood of heart disease and vice versa.
In the study from Salt Lake City, researchers found people with coronary heart disease who are diagnosed with depression are about twice as likely to die compared to those who are not diagnosed with depression.
Coronary heart disease is the most common form of heart disease and kills about 370,000 people in the United States annually.
In the condition, a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. Over time, plaque can harden or rupture and form a blood clot.
A large blood clot can block blood flow through a coronary artery and cause a heart attack or a stroke.
In the study, the team analyzed health records from almost 25,000 Intermountain Health System patients tracked for an average of nearly 10 years following a diagnosis of coronary heart disease.
About 15% of patients received a follow-up diagnosis of depression.
Among these people, 50% died during the study period, compared to 38% of the 20,491 people who did not have a depression diagnosis.
The researchers suggest that patients with the coronary disease need to be continuously screened for depression, and if found to be depressed, they need to receive adequate treatment and continued follow-up.
Common signs of depression include persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness or worthlessness; anxiety, irritability or restlessness; losing interest in hobbies and activities; fatigue or moving slowly; difficulty sleeping or concentrating; aches or pains without a clear physical cause; changes in appetite or weight; and thoughts of death or suicide.
In line with the research, another study from the University of Zurich shows that antidepressants usage is linked to lower survival of a heart attack.
The study examined nearly 9,000 patients and found that those prescribed antidepressants after a heart attack had a 66% greater risk of mortality one year later than patients not prescribed the drugs.
In addition, the rate of all-cause mortality at one-year after hospital discharge was 7.4% in patients prescribed antidepressants compared to 3.4% for those not prescribed antidepressants.
The team suggests that although the study did not show a direct causal relationship between antidepressants and lower heart attack survival, it is important to pay attention to the connections.
Many patients are treated with antidepressants after a heart attack, and more research is needed to pinpoint the underlying pathological mechanisms.
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