Depression and the heart

Cardio Vascular disease (CVD) as well as depression are both highly prevalent disorders and both of them cause a significant decrease in quality of life and increase the economic burden for the patient. Depressed individuals are more likely to develop angina, fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarction, than those who are not depressed. Over the past decade, evidence has accumulated to suggest that depression may be a risk factor for cardiac mortality in patients with established coronary artery disease (CAD). The 'vicious cycle' linking CVD to major depression and depression to CVD, deserves greater attention from both cardio-vascular and psychiatric investigators.1