Depression and heart disease – what is the connection (video)

Experts say depression and heart disease are interconnected. Depression increases the risk of heart problems, which in turn often lead to depressive disorders.

The relationship between heart disease and depressive disorders

On the one hand, this relationship is determined by physiological mechanisms, on the other hand, by human behavior. In a study that published Science Direct notes that the global prevalence of depressive disorders is 4-10%, depending on the country. Among people suffering from cardiovascular diseases, the prevalence of depression reaches 15-30%. Research data shows:

“Two out of three people hospitalized with a myocardial infarction show mild depressive symptoms for some time. Conversely, people with a depressive disorder are almost three times more likely to have cardiovascular disease than others, and it takes 7.5 years for them to develop symptoms.” earlier than in “heart patients” without depressive disorders.”

The American Heart Association and the European Society of Cardiology have recognized depression as a risk factor for coronary heart disease:

“In healthy people, the risk of a stroke or heart attack dramatically triples after a recent depressive episode. People with persistent depression or those whose symptoms of depression are more in the body than in the mind are most likely to develop heart disease.” and opinions.”

Reasons why heart health and depression are linked

The connection between depressive disorders and cardiovascular diseases leads to a number of physiological and behavioral mechanisms:

Behavior – people in a state of depression often neglect to take the necessary medication (they have neither the strength nor the motivation to do this), and therefore existing ailments worsen. In addition, in a depressed and anxious state, they often abuse alcohol or cigarettes to relieve pain in the soul, and this increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, pathological vascular processes and complicates the course of depression.

Sleep disturbance. In the case of depression, such disorders accelerate heart and vascular disease, because it is during sleep that the mechanism for normalizing blood pressure and slowing down the heartbeat is triggered.

Diabetes mellitus type 2, which often accompanies other chronic diseases – obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, kidney failure and depression. Their root cause, like diabetes, often lies in impaired metabolism. 40% of people with diabetes experience poor mental well-being and even depression, according to the British Diabetes Association.

Is it possible to break a vicious relationship?

Experts recommend paying attention to your psycho-emotional state and not attributing constant depression to age, situation or time of year. It is important to diagnose depression in time and resort to therapy:

“Yes, some depressive episodes go away on their own, but why take the risk? While the episode passes or drags on because circumstances intensify it, chronic diseases or addictions may develop.”

If the patient has depression, you should definitely inform your family doctor about this so that he can prescribe an examination:

• cardiogram;
• detailed blood test for cholesterol (lipidogram);
• determination of glucose level (fasting);
• analysis of glycated hemoglobin levels.

If you have a chronic disease (diabetes, coronary heart disease, etc.), you should tell your doctor about your mental state. Overcoming depression will help you effectively adhere to prescribed treatment regimens.

*With depression, not only is there a depressed mood and difficulty concentrating, but also bodily problems: sleep disturbance, headache, digestive disorders, pain in the heart. It is not the symptoms that need to be treated, but the disease – once depression is defeated, the body also recovers.

Source link