Depression following myocardial infarction.
OBJECTIVE
Although many investigators have studied mood disorders following myocardial infarction, the prevalence, severity, and persistence of depression have been disputed, and standard rating scales and criteria for depressive disorders have infrequently been utilized. The authors' goal was to determine how frequently depressive disorders occur after myocardial infarction, and to investigate predisposing factors for such disorders.


METHODS
Structured clinical interviews were administered to 129 inpatients within ten days of myocardial infarction. Patients were also evaluated using standardized rating scales for depression, social function, cognition, and physical impairment. DSM-III diagnoses were derived from the structured interview.


RESULTS
Major depressive syndromes were present in 19 percent (n = 25) of the patients and were associated with prior history of mood disorder, female sex, large infarcts, and functional physical impairment.


CONCLUSIONS
Major depression is common in the acute post-myocardial infarction period. Such disorders confer significant psychiatric morbidity and, if sustained, require psychiatric intervention.
Forrester
A W
AW
Johns Hopkins University.
Lipsey
J R
JR
Teitelbaum
M L
ML
DePaulo
J R
JR
Andrzejewski
P L
PL
D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012803:Sick Role; D012944:Social Support