Researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital have discovered a possible genetic link between coronary artery disease (CAD), major depression, and a heart muscle condition called cardiomyopathy.
Their study, published in the journal Nature Mental Health, suggests that inflammation in the body may connect all three conditions.
Coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart disease. Depression is also very common, and many people with heart disease also experience depression.
In fact, about 44% of people with CAD also have major depression. However, until now, scientists didn’t fully understand why these two conditions often occur together.
The new study shows that low-level, long-term inflammation might be the reason. Inflammation is the body’s way of responding to illness or injury, but when it doesn’t stop, it can cause health problems.
The researchers found that both depression and CAD are linked to changes in genes that control inflammation. These changes may increase the risk of developing cardiomyopathy, a disease that weakens the heart muscle.
To find this out, the researchers used a genetic mapping technique to identify gene changes linked to both CAD and depression. They found 185 genes that were connected to both conditions and that played roles in inflammation and cardiomyopathy.
Interestingly, when they looked at health records from thousands of patients, they found that people with both CAD and depression had a slightly lower rate of cardiomyopathy than people with CAD alone.
The scientists believe this might be because medications for depression and heart disease—like antidepressants and statins—can help reduce inflammation, which could help protect the heart.
The takeaway? This research highlights the importance of looking at heart and brain health together. In the future, combining treatments for depression and heart disease could help prevent serious heart conditions like cardiomyopathy.
The researchers say more studies are needed, but this discovery may change how doctors treat people who have both depression and heart disease.
If you care about heart health, please read studies that Manganese can help clear arterial plaques and treat heart disease and Aspirin use linked to heart failure.
For more about heart health, please read studies about the blood thinner drug that can prevent strokes in people with hidden heart issues and new guidelines on daily aspirin for heart attack and stroke prevention.
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