The impact of angina and cardiac history on health-related quality of life and depression in coronary heart disease patients.
OBJECTIVE
To prospectively examine the contribution of angina and cardiac history to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and depression in cardiac patients, over 6 months post-hospitalization.


METHODS
Participants were myocardial infarction (MI), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) outpatients under the age of 70 years. One hundred and seventy-one patients consented to participate, with 121 patients being retained 6 months later (71% response rate). The impact of the patient's cardiac history and the presence of angina on physical, social and emotional HRQoL and depression was examined.


RESULTS
At baseline, cardiac history was not significantly related to any of the dimensions of HRQoL or depression. At 6-month follow-up, cardiac history significantly predicted a higher level of depression, and angina was predictive of a significantly worse emotional, physical and social HRQoL and a higher level of depression.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of a cardiac history is associated with depression 6 months post-cardiac event, and angina is associated with both an adverse HRQoL and higher levels of depression. As past research has demonstrated that depression is a risk factor for mortality in patients with established heart disease, it is important from both a clinical and a research perspective to address these issues.
Gravely-Witte
Shannon
S
University Health Network Women's Health Program, Toronto General Hospital, EN7-235, 200 Elizabeth St, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada. sgravely@uhnresearch.ca
De Gucht
Véronique
V
Heiser
Willem
W
Grace
Sherry L
SL
Van Elderen
Thérèse
T
D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000523:psychology; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000523:psychology*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life