People who have depression after a heart attack are 50 per cent more likely to suffer a stroke than those who don’t, according to new research.
The study analysed health records of nearly half a million US heart attack survivors, making it one of the largest studies of its kind.
The researchers found a significant difference in stroke rates between patients with and without depression, even among those from similar health and demographic backgrounds.
“The only difference between these two cohorts is that one has depression,” said Frank H. Annie, PhD, research scientist in the Department of Cardiology at Charleston Area Medical Center in Charleston, West Virginia and the study’s lead author.
“There could be a multitude of depression-related factors that are leading to these outcomes.
“What we’re seeing in this data is very troubling, and we need to dig deeper to understand the causes and effects.”
Around 10.5 per cent of patients had a diagnosis of depression after their heart attack.
Among them, around one in six had been diagnosed with a mental health disorder prior to their heart attack while the remainder had been diagnosed with depression afterwards.
The researchers compared the patients with depression to a similar subset of heart attack survivors who did not have depression.
They found 12 per cent of those with depression and 8.3 per cent of those without depression subsequently suffered a stroke – a nearly 50% difference in stroke risk.
A number of factors could account for the difference, Annie said.
For example, an individual with depression may be less likely to attend medical appointments or keep up with their medication.
They may also be less likely to maintain a heart-healthy diet, she added.
Men were also more likely to have depression than women and those with depression tended to have higher rates of heart disease, diabetes and COPD, as well as smoking incidence.
Annie said there is mounting evidence that getting treatment for depression can help improve outcomes in those with heart disease. In this study, only 7 per cent of the patients with depression had used antidepressants.
The researcher said:
“A multidisciplinary approach is required,.
“Based on these data, if there’s someone who has a history of heart disease and depression, I would advocate for devoting special attention within the health care system to making sure that these individuals are making their appointments and that they’re seeing the right providers within the health system.”
