Depression in Acute Coronary Syndrome

Depression following acute coronary syndrome: a Danish nationwide study of potential risk factors

PURPOSE

Depression is common following acute coronary syndrome, and thus, it is important to provide knowledge to improve prevention and detection of depression in this patient group. The objectives of this study were to examine: (1) whether indicators of stressors and coping resources were risk factors for developing depression early and later after an acute coronary syndrome and (2) whether prior depression modified these associations.

METHODS

The study was a register-based cohort study, which includes 87,118 patients with a first time diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome during the period 2001-2009 in Denmark. Cox regression models were used to analyse hazard ratios (HRs) for depression.

RESULTS

1.5 and 9.5 % develop early (≤30 days) and later (31 days-2 years) depression after the acute coronary syndrome. Among all patients with depression, 69.2 % had first onset depression, while 30.8 % developed a recurrent depression. Most patient characteristics (demographic factors, socioeconomic status, psychosocial factors, health-related behavioural factors, somatic comorbidities, and severity of acute coronary syndrome) were significantly associated with increased HRs for both early and later depressions. Prior depression modified most of these associations in such a way that the association was attenuated in patients with a prior depression.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that first time and recurrent depression following acute coronary syndrome have different risk profiles. This is important knowledge that may be used to focus future interventions for prevention and detection.

Relation between Major and Minor Depression and Heart Rate, Heart-Rate Variability, and Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

This study examined the prevalence of major and minor depression in patients with acute coronary syndrome and their relation with heart rate and heart-rate variability, and clinical characteristics. The study group included 297 patients, 200 men and 97 women, between ages of 21 and 70 years ( M age = 57.5 ± 9.6), who were admitted to a coronary care unit with acute coronary syndrome and survived to discharge from the hospital. Major and minor depression were diagnosed using DSM-IV. There were 44.1% patients with acute coronary syndrome without depression, 29.3% with minor depression, and 26.6% with major depression. The prevalence of minor and major depression was more elevated in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and unstable angina than in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Ventricular fibrillation and atrial fibrillation were more common in patients with major and minor depression than in patients without depression. The 24-hr. duration of heart-beat intervals and heart-rate variability were significantly lower in patients with major and minor depression than in patients without depression. This study implies that clinical depression was significantly comorbid with the acute coronary syndrome and was related to hypertension, diabetes mellitus, age, sex, type of acute coronary syndrome, left ventricular failure, higher heart rate, and lower heart-rate variability.