Depression: Danger to Weak Hearts

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The combination of heart failure (heart failure) and depression is apparently even more dangerous than previously thought. This is fatal - because it applies to 20 to 40 percent of all heart weak patients.

Scientists led by John Cleland from Imperial Collage London followed patients with cardiac insufficiency as part of an ongoing study (OPERA-HF). The aim was to find out which of these patients are particularly at risk of death. The factors examined included social, mental, and physical components, as well as additional medical conditions from which the patients suffered.

Fivefold risk of death

The participants were all hospitalized due to complications. But it didn't stop there - the majority of them had to go back to the clinic one or more times within a year - half of the study participants died during this period. This fate struck a disproportionately large number of those who suffered from moderate or severe depression. That was around 15 percent of the participants. Study leader Cleland put the proportion of those who died among them five times that of those who were not depressed or who only suffered from mild depression. The cardiologist presented the figures at the Congress of the European Cardiological Society, which is currently taking place in Seville.

The severity of the heart disease is secondary

“It was well known that patients with weak heart attacks with depression are more likely to die than those who are mentally stable. But it was previously believed that the depressed among the patients had more severe heart disease, ”explains Cleland. But apparently that is not the reason: in fact, the risk of death was increased regardless of how weak the heart was.The age of the depressed heart patient, their gender or the level of their blood pressure had no influence.

Lost courage to face life

“Depression is often associated with a loss of motivation, interest, everyday activities, appetite, and confidence, as well as a decreased quality of life and sleep problems. All of this could explain the relationship we found between depression and mortality, ”said the cardiologist.

The study found a strong link between depression and the risk of death in the first year after a hospital stay, says Cleland. It is important to recognize and treat depression early in patients with heart failure. Previous studies have shown that antidepressants are not sufficiently effective in this group of patients. The alternative would be psychotherapeutic support. (cf)

Source: Press release, European Society of Cardiology, May 23, 2015

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