Definitions and distinctions among depressive syndromes and symptoms: implications for a better understanding of the depression-cardiovascular disease association.
OBJECTIVE
A prognostic role for depressive disorder presence and/or elevated depressive symptoms in the onset and recurrence of cardiovascular disease has been largely supported. Depression is a multifaceted disorder, encompassing a wide range of somatic, cognitive, and mood symptoms; it varies in intensity, duration, frequency, course, and family history; it can be assessed continuously or categorically; it can be obtained by interview or by self-report; and importantly, the cardiac prognostic impact of these distinctions may vary. We provide an overview of definitions and possible assessment of depression, and we discuss key assessment distinctions.


CONCLUSIONS
Examining the predictive ability of these key distinctions of depression for acute coronary syndrome recurrence would be of benefit to future research in this field.
Davidson
Karina W
KW
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA. kd2124@columbia.edu
Rieckmann
Nina
N
Rapp
Michael A
MA
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012647:Self-Assessment