Catching depression in its early stages and treating it might lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to a new study.
The patients
randomly received antidepressants and psychotherapy or standard care
determined by their doctor.
Participants without heart disease when the
study began who received antidepressants and therapy for their
depression where 48 percent less likely to have heart attack or stroke
than those in the standard care group.
Though health-care professionals know depression is a risk factor for
heart attack and stroke, this study was designed to look at the effect
of medication and therapy compared to standard care on depression, not
heart disease, a limitation of the study.
Researchers went back through
the data to assess the benefits of depression treatment on heart health.
Doctors tend to address the five big risk factors—high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, smoking and family history—when
talking about preventing heart attacks. But other risk factors, such as
depression, shouldn’t be glossed over, the experts say.
"This line of research could produce a new approach to preventing
cardiovascular disease," says Jesse Stewart, an associate professor of
psychology at Indiana University-
Purdue University Indianapolis and the
study’s author.
Results of this research are preliminary, but it could be particularly promising for African Americans, who are over-represented in populations at risk for depression, yet often misdiagnosed.
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