Getting to the Heart of Depression

Depression may break your heart.Some new studies suggest that ifyou’re depressed, you have a higherchance of developing heart disease.Plus, the more severe the depression,the more likely you are to die of asudden heart attack.

One such study, published inthe American Journal of PreventiveMedicine, found that depressedpeople ages 25 to 39 were threetimes more likely to develop heartdisease within a 14-year period thannondepressed individuals.

Even those who lack heart diseaserisk factors, including obesity orhigh cholesterol, face a higher riskfor sudden cardiac death if they’redepressed. This finding comes fromanother new study published in theArchives of Internal Medicine.

People who already have heartdisease also are more likely to sufferfrom depression. They’re also twiceas likely to die after a heart attack asheart patients who aren’t depressed.

These findings point to theimportance of recognizing andtreating depression. Women aremore likely to be depressed than men.They’re also more apt to suffer fromthe negative effects of depression ontheir hearts. Here are some warningsigns of depression:

• Persistent sadness, anxiety, ora feeling of emptiness
• Hopelessness or pessimism
• Loss of interest in previouslyenjoyed activities
• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating,remembering, or making decisions
• Sleep problems, such as difficultygetting to sleep, oversleeping, orwaking too early
• Appetite and/or weight changes
• Thoughts of death or suicide
• Restlessness or irritability
• Aches and pains that don’trespond to medical treatment

Talk with your doctor if you thinkyou might have depression. Mostpeople with depression get betterwith treatment.