Depression and Cardiac Disease a Review
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REVIEW ARTICLE Depression and Cardiac Disease A Review Christopher M. Celano, MD,*† and Jeff C. Huffman, MD*† acterized by Ն2 weeks of depressed mood or loss of pleasure and Abstract: Depression is highly prevalent in cardiac patients, with 20% to 40% multiple somatic symptoms (including abnormalities in sleep, inter- of patients meeting criteria for major depressive disorder or experiencing an est, energy, concentration, guilt, appetite, psychomotor functioning, elevation in depressive symptoms. These depressive symptoms are often chronic and/or suicidal ideation).6 This rate of MDD is 2- to 3-fold higher in and persistent, and they have been associated with the development and pro- patients with CVD than in the general population7 and similar to the gression of coronary artery disease, worse health-related quality of life, poor rates of MDD in patients with chronic kidney disease,8 cancer,9 and physical functioning, recurrent cardiac events, and a 2- to 2.5-fold increased risk diabetes mellitus.10 Patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) and of mortality. Impaired adherence to health behaviors and adverse physiological those undergoing implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) placement effects of depression, including inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, platelet are similarly at increased risk for elevated depressive symptoms and for hyperactivity, and autonomic nervous system abnormalities, may link depression MDD.11–13 A recent meta-analysis of patients with CHF found a conser- with adverse cardiac outcomes. Pharmacologic and psychotherapeutic interven- vative (ie, MDD equivalent) prevalence rate of 20% and a liberal (ie, tions appear to be safe and effective at reducing depressive symptoms in increased depressive symptoms) prevalence rate of 36%11; recent studies of patients with cardiovascular disease and may impact cardiac outcomes. ICD patients found depression prevalence to be 24% to 33%.12,13 Unfortunately, depression often is unrecognized and untreated in this In patients with CVD, depression is often chronic and recurrent. population, despite the availability of brief screening tools that can be Among patients with CVD hospitalized for acute cardiac events and used for this purpose. We recommend the routine screening of cardiac who were found to meet criteria for depression during or shortly after patients for depression when there are adequate mechanisms for manage- admission, approximately 50% to 70% have a history of depression that ment and referral, such as available consulting psychiatrists or care predates their cardiac events.14,15 This finding is consistent with liter- management programs that facilitate the delivery of pharmacologic and ature that describes persistent depression in patients with stable CAD17 psychotherapeutic treatments in this vulnerable population. and suggests that for many patients, depression exists for months or Key Words: depression, cardiac disease, coronary artery disease, years before a cardiac event, rather than being a transient reaction to the congestive heart failure, collaborative care event. Furthermore, depressive symptoms often persist in patients with (Cardiology in Review 2011;19: 130–142) CVD. In studies that examine the course of post-MI depression, de- pressive symptoms remain at steady levels of severity over a 12-month follow-up period.18,19 Similar results have been observed in patients with chronic CVD, such as those with ICD devices; in this cohort, 80% of patients who are depressed at the time of ICD placement continue to epression commonly afflicts patients with cardiovascular dis- suffer from depressive symptoms 2 years later.13 Dease (CVD) and contributes to poor psychiatric, functional, and In summary, depression is present in a significant portion of cardiovascular outcomes. Despite the availability of safe and effec- cardiac patients across the spectrum of cardiac disease, and such tive treatments in cardiac patients, depression remains under-recog- symptoms, when present, are likely to persist unless treated. These nized and undertreated in this population. This review will focus on findings underscore the need to find better methods for identifying the prevalence of depression in patients with CVD and its effects on and managing depression in patients with CVD. psychiatric and cardiac outcomes, the potential physiological and behavioral links between depression and CVD, and the treatment EFFECTS OF DEPRESSION ON PATIENTS WITH options and models of care for depressed cardiac patients. Recom- CARDIAC DISEASE mendations for the identification and treatment of depression in this Depression is not only common in cardiac patients, but also population will be provided. associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes, independent of traditional risk factors. In healthy individuals, depression has been THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DEPRESSION AND associated with the development and progression of CAD20–23 and CARDIAC DISEASE with CVD-related mortality.24 In patients with acute episodes of Depression is highly prevalent in cardiac patients. Between CAD who require intervention, depression is linked with inferior 31% and 45% of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), cardiac and functional outcomes. For instance, depression in patients including those with stable CAD, unstable angina, or myocardial undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery has been infarction (MI), suffer from clinically significant depressive symp- associated with poorer functional outcomes,25,26 worse health-re- toms. Furthermore, 15% to 20% of patients with CAD meet full lated quality of life (HRQoL),27 progression of atherosclerotic criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD),1–5 a condition char- disease,28 higher rates of rehospitalization,26 and mortality.29,30 Patients with unstable CAD in particular seem to be at increased risk for poor outcomes as a result of depression. The From the *Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; and †Department of Psychiatry, presence of post-MI depression is a predictor for recurrent Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. cardiac events,31 for cardiac-related death,31–34 and for all-cause Correspondence: Christopher M. Celano, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 mortality.31,35 In fact, 2 recent meta-analyses revealed that de- Fruit Street/WACC 812, Boston, MA 02114. E-mail: [email protected]. pressed post-MI patients have a 2- to 2.5-fold increased risk Copyright © 2011 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 31,35 ISSN: 1061-5377/11/1903-0130 (unadjusted) for all-cause mortality ; a significantly elevated DOI: 10.1097/CRD.0b013e31820e8106 risk remains (odds ratio, 1.76) even after adjusting for other 130 | www.cardiologyinreview.com Cardiology in Review • Volume 19, Number 3, May/June 2011 Cardiology in Review • Volume 19, Number 3, May/June 2011 Depression and Cardiac Disease cardiac risk factors.35 The possible arrhythmogenic effects of depression on cardiac events.55 It, therefore, appears that inflamma- depression may explain these findings—at least in part—because tion plays at least a minor role in the mediation of depression’s depression in patients with CAD has been associated with ven- effects on cardiac outcomes. tricular arrhythmias,36 and ventricular ectopy in post-MI patients has been associated with mortality.37 Endothelial Dysfunction Depression may also impact CV outcomes in patients with other Endothelial dysfunction has been linked with the develop- forms of CVD. Depression increases the risk of incident CHF, espe- ment of ischemic CAD in patients with atherosclerosis.56 Although cially in those already at increased risk for its development; it is also a normal endothelium typically releases nitric oxide in response to related to increased health care utilization, more frequent hospitaliza- serotonin, in atherosclerotic arteries it fails to do so; this results in tions, and a 2-fold increase in mortality risk in patients with established vasoconstriction in areas of atherosclerosis and may provide a CHF.11 Increased depressive symptoms are also linked with recurrence mechanism for coronary thrombosis.57 Inflammation, which has of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients following cardioversion38 and with been associated with CAD, also impairs endothelial nitric oxide CV mortality in patients with comorbid AF and CHF.39 release and may represent a mechanism explaining the finding of Several studies have evaluated the characteristics of psychiatric endothelial dysfunction in cardiac patients.58 In addition to its role illness and its treatment that may contribute to poor cardiac outcomes in in cardiac ischemia in patients with CAD, endothelial dysfunction depressed cardiac patients. Nonresponse to treatment for depression, for independently predicts mortality in patients with CHF.59,60 instance, seems to put depressed postacute coronary syndrome (ACS) Depression has also been associated with impaired endothe- patients at greater risk for recurrent cardiac events40 and for all-cause lial function in healthy patients,61 in those at risk for CVD,62 and in mortality.41 Poor outcomes may be exacerbated by the presence of those with established CVD.63 Evidence that treatment of depression co-occurring anxiety, which is independently associated with recurrent with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) improves endo- cardiac events and mortality42 and which has been linked with poor thelial function in patients with depression and established CAD response to treatment for depression.43,44 Other patients who seem to be may