Depression after coronary heart disease events.
OBJECTIVE
To study the prevalence of depression at least 6 months after various coronary heart disease (CHD) events (bypass grafting, coronary angioplasty, myocardial infarction, myocardial ischaemia without infarction) and the associations between depression and clinical variables.


METHODS
In the course of the study 414 (284 males, 130 females) patients younger than 71 years (mean age for men 60.9 years and for women 63.6 years) were interviewed and examined. Smoking habits, body mass index, lipid levels and diabetic status were recorded. The New York Heart Association (NYHA) class was assessed. Depression was screened using a self-rated depression scale.


RESULTS
In the four diagnostic categories, one-sixth of the patients (14-19%) suffered from depression. Depression was associated with smoking (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.2; 2.4) and poor NYHA class (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.4; 2.6).


CONCLUSIONS
Depression is common after CHD events, and is associated with smoking and poor NYHA class. The identification and treatment of depression should be one of the elements in the rehabilitation of cardiac patients.
Lehto
S
S
Department of Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, Finland.
Koukkunen
H
H
Hintikka
J
J
Viinamäki
H
H
Laakso
M
M
Pyörälä
K
K
D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects
D002784:Cholesterol