Depression and anxiety disorders and the link to physician diagnosed cardiac disease and metabolic risk factors

ObjectiveThere has been increasing interest in the relationship between cardiac and metabolic conditions with mental illness. Many studies have found associations between these conditions and depression but results with anxiety disorders have been mixed. We explore these relationships in a nationally representative survey using physician diagnoses of physical conditions and DSM-IV psychiatric disorders.MethodsData came from the nationally representative German Health Survey (N= 4181, age 18-65). Physician diagnoses of angina, myocardial infarction, congestive heart, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and obesity were examined in relation to depression and anxiety disorders, which were assessed through a modified version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations between these conditions.ResultsAfter adjusting for sociodemographics, psychiatric comorbidity, and substance use, having an anxiety disorder was associated with increased odds of cardiac conditions and metabolic risk factors with odds ratios ranging from 1.3 to 3.3. Depression was not associated with any of the conditions but was associated with poor medical compliance for health conditions on two outcomes measured. Anxiety was also associated with reduced medical compliance for one health behaviour measured.ConclusionAnxiety disorders, but not depression, were associated with metabolic and cardiac conditions in our sample. Both conditions were related to some aspects of poor self-care for health conditions and therefore may be linked to negative outcomes.