title: Treatment of depression in patients with heart disease.
abstract: Patients with depression are more likely than patients without depression to develop ischemic heart disease and suffer cardiac-related death. Recent evidence suggests that the association between depression and increased cardiac mortality may in part be due to an increase in platelet activity and an imbalance in sympathetic and parasympathetic activity that makes the patient more susceptible to ventricular fibrillation. Available data suggest that the tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) may increase the risk of mortality in patients with ischemic heart disease. Three studies with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), including a double-blind, randomized comparison of paroxetine with nortriptyline, support the conclusion that the SSRIs have a relatively benign cardiovascular profile. Therefore, they are preferable to the TCAs for treatment of depression in patients at risk for cardiac events. Additional studies are needed to definitively establish the cardiovascular safety of the SSRIs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, and the Late Life Depression Research Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Roose
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spatz
mesh_terms: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016642:Bupropion / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015897:Comorbidity; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000453:epidemiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006327:Heart Block / Q000139:chemically induced; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007024:Hypotension, Orthostatic / Q000139:chemically induced; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D009661:Nortriptyline / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D016642:Bupropion; D009661:Nortriptyline; D017374:Paroxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors