The nature and course of depression following myocardial infarction.
Two hundred eighty-three patients admitted to cardiac care units for myocardial infarction at two urban teaching hospitals were interviewed 8 to 10 days after infarction and 171 were reinterviewed 3 to 4 months later. Initially, 45% met diagnostic criteria for minor or major depression, including 18% with major depressive syndromes. Depression was not associated with the severity of cardiac illness but was associated with the presence of noncardiac medical illnesses. Three to 4 months after infarction, 33% of patients met criteria for minor or major depression. The large majority of patients who initially met criteria for major but not minor depression showed evidence of depression at 3 months and most patients with major depression had not returned to work by 3 months. Treatment of major depressive syndromes after myocardial infarction may reduce chronicity and disability, while minor depressive syndromes may be similar to normal grief and tend to be self-limited.
Schleifer
S J
SJ
Mount Sinai School of Medicine, City University of New York, NY.
Macari-Hinson
M M
MM
Coyle
D A
DA
Slater
W R
WR
Kahn
M
M
Gorlin
R
R
Zucker
H D
HD
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors