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Depression and Physical Illness

Depression and prognosis in cardiac patients

Publication ,  Chapter
Lett, HS; Sherwood, A; Watkins, L; Blumenthal, JA
January 1, 2006

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in the USA and Europe [1, 2]. In roughly half the cases, the first clinical manifestations of CHD – myocardial infarction (MI) or sudden death – are catastrophic. These events are sudden, unexpected and unpredictable. The economic cost of CHD is growing. For example, in the USA over $130 billion is spent on CHD each year in direct medical costs, disability payments and lost productivity [2]. Moreover, traditional risk factors such as cigarette smoking, hyperlipidaemia and hypertension do not account fully for the timing and occurrence of these events. Depression is also a major health problem. It is associated with significant impairment of function, which may, at times, be worse than that of chronic medical disorders [3]. Depressive symptoms have been correlated with the presence of one or more chronic diseases [4, 5], as well as inability to work [6], days in bed or days away from normal activities [4], increased mortality risk [7], increased use of medical services [8], and decreased wellbeing and lowered functioning [3]. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most prevalent of all psychiatric disorders, affecting up to 25% of women and 12% of men during their lifetime [9]. Since 1950, the prevalence of depression has increased significantly [10]. Depression is disproportionately prevalent among cardiac patients, with estimates of MDD of about 15% in patients following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), and an additional 20% with either minor depression or elevated levels of depressive symptoms as measured by questionnaires such as the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) [11–17].

Duke Scholars

DOI

ISBN

9780521603607

Publication Date

January 1, 2006

Start / End Page

87 / 108
 

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Lett, H. S., Sherwood, A., Watkins, L., & Blumenthal, J. A. (2006). Depression and prognosis in cardiac patients. In Depression and Physical Illness (pp. 87–108). https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511544293.005
Lett, H. S., A. Sherwood, L. Watkins, and J. A. Blumenthal. “Depression and prognosis in cardiac patients.” In Depression and Physical Illness, 87–108, 2006. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511544293.005.
Lett HS, Sherwood A, Watkins L, Blumenthal JA. Depression and prognosis in cardiac patients. In: Depression and Physical Illness. 2006. p. 87–108.
Lett, H. S., et al. “Depression and prognosis in cardiac patients.” Depression and Physical Illness, 2006, pp. 87–108. Scopus, doi:10.1017/CBO9780511544293.005.
Lett HS, Sherwood A, Watkins L, Blumenthal JA. Depression and prognosis in cardiac patients. Depression and Physical Illness. 2006. p. 87–108.
Journal cover image

DOI

ISBN

9780521603607

Publication Date

January 1, 2006

Start / End Page

87 / 108