Get Treatment for Depression
Considering that research over the past two
decades has shown that people with heart disease are more likely
to suffer from depression than otherwise healthy people, and conversely,
that people with depression are at greater risk for developing heart
disease.
Effective treatment for depression is extremely important, as
the combination of depression and heart disease is associated with
increased sickness and death.
Prescription antidepressant medications, particularly the selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are generally well-tolerated and
safe for people with heart disease.
There are, however, possible interactions among certain medications
and side effects that require careful monitoring. Therefore, people
being treated for heart disease who develop depression, as well
as people in treatment for depression who subsequently develop heart
disease, should make sure to tell any physician they visit about
the full range of medications they are taking.
Specific types of psychotherapy, or "talk" therapy, also can
relieve depression. Ongoing research is investigating whether these
treatments also reduce the associated risk of a second heart attack.
Preventive interventions based on cognitive-behavior theories
of depression also merit attention as approaches for avoiding adverse
outcomes associated with both disorders.
These interventions may help promote adherence and behavior change
that may increase the impact of available pharmacological and behavioral
approaches to both diseases.
This Article is part of the NIH Publication No. 02-5004 article
If you think you may be depressed or know someone who is, don't
lose hope. Seek help for depression.
You can find more information regarding Depression
and heart disease at the NIH website
NIH Publication No. 02-5004
Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Service National
Institutes of Health National Institute of Mental Health May 2002
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