Depression and Heart Disease

Depression Can Lead To
Heart Disease and Other Health Problems

New Study From Canada's Leading Universities and

Published in the Journal Psychophysiology....

Depression may have more far-reaching consequences than previously believed. Recent data suggests that individuals who suffer from a mood disorder could be twice as likely to have a heart attack compared to individuals who are not depressed.

This process has been poorly understood, until this new study led by Concordia University in conjunction with Montreal Heart Institute, McGill University, Université du Québec à Montréal and the University of Calgary. Researchers have found that depressed individuals have a slower recovery time after exercise compared to those who are non-depressed.

These findings suggest that a dysfunctional biological stress system
is at work among depressed individuals. Published in the journal Psychophysiology, the research warns of the importance of testing for cardiovascular disease among people suffering from major depression.

"There have been two competing theories as to why depression is linked to cardiovascular disease; Depressed people may have poorer health behaviors, which may in turn lead to heart problems. The other possibility is
physiological: a problem with the stress system known as the fight or flight response. Our study was the first to examine the role of a dysfunctional fight or flight response in depression in a large population."
explained the researchers from McGill University.

Heart rate recovery is a powerful diagnostic tool...

A total of 886 participants, who were on average 60 years old, took part in the study conducted by Concordia in association with the Montreal Heart Institute, McGill University, the Hôpital Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, the Université du Québec à Montréal and the University of Calgary. Approximately 5 per cent of participants were diagnosed with a major depressive disorder. All individuals were asked to undergo a stress test after which their heart rate and blood pressure were recorded. Recovery heart rates and blood pressure levels were compared between depressed and non-depressed individuals.

"We found that it took longer for the heart rate of depressed individuals to return to normal," says senior author, Simon Bacon, a professor in the Concordia University Department of Exercise Science and a researcher at the Montreal Heart Institute.

"Heart rate recovery from exercise is one way to measure the fight or flight stress response. The delayed ability to establish a normal heart rate in the depressed individuals indicates a dysfunctional stress response. We believe that this dysfunction, can contribute to their increased risk for heart disease."

"The take-home message of this study is that health care professionals should not only address the mental disorder, but also the potential for heart disease in patients who are suffering from major depression," they added. "Both of these health issues should be treated to minimize risk of severe consequences."

Story Source: Concordia University.

Journal Reference:
"The effect of major depression on postexercise cardiovascular
recovery." Psychophysiology, 2011;

Concordia University (2011, November 28).
"Depression can lead to heart disease, study suggests"

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutritional consultation.