title: [Depression in Acute Coronary Syndromes: Application of the Beck Depression Inventory].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depression has been related to the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases, and also appears to increase the risk of death from coronary artery disease. The presence of depression after the occurrence of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and its relationship with socioeconomic factors has not been studied in Colombia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the frequency of depression and associated factors in patients hospitalized with an ACS.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was carried out between April and May 2008 in three coronary care units in Santa Marta, Colombia. The presence of depression was evaluated with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Depression was considered to be present if BDI was equal or greater than 10. The relationship between the presence of depression and demographic, clinic and laboratory characteristics was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A BDI score ≥10 (any degree of depression) was seen in 21 (63.64%) of the patients. In 9 out of 10 (91.66%) patients without stable income had depression in contrast to 12 out of 23 (57.14%) with stable income (P=.037). Depression was found in in 8 of the 8 (100%) patients with electrocardiographic pathological T wave inversion, in contrast to 13 out of the 25 (52%) without changes in T wave (P=.014). Depression was detected in 17 of 22 (77.27%) patients who smoked cigarettes versus 4 of 11 (36.36%) of patients who have never smoked (P=.021).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Depressive symptoms are significantly present in patients suffering an acute coronary syndrome. Unemployment, pathological T wave inversion, and smoking seem to be associated with the presence of depressive symptoms after an acute coronary event.
authors.affiliation: División de Investigaciones, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Bogotá, Colombia. Electronic address: jarevalo@fucsalud.edu.co.
authors.forename: Jimmy J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Arevalo
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Karen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Soto
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario Fernando Troconis, Universidad del Magdalena, Santa Marta, Colombia.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Caamaño
keywords: Acute coronary syndrome; Angina inestable; Beck Depression Inventory; Depresión; Depression; Infarto de miocardio; Myocardial infarction; Síndrome coronario agudo; Unstable angina