Depression Is Bad For The Heart: Studies Find Unexplained Link Between Depression And Heart Disease
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The latest statistics from WHO show that depression in India is a big deal. According to WHO’s findings, a total of 56 million Indians suffer from this mental condition (1). That’s 4.5% of the total population in the country. If you talk about the figures for depression all over the world, 322 million people worldwide are currently in the throes of this disorder. This certainly is not a very pretty picture to look at.
This picture becomes way worse if a barrage of recent studies is to be believed. So far it was known that, being a mental disorder, depression only affects your brain. However, recent studies have shown that that’s not the case. This silent killer of a disease can also affect your heart health and make you more susceptible to conditions that affect your cardiovascular system.
What Do Studies Say?
Several studies point to the fact that depression can have a negative impact on the health of your heart. According to one particular study, depression can increase your chances of internal blood clotting (2), (3). Depression can increase the levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) in your body, cause low-grade inflammation, and activate your platelets (which can subsequently lead to blood clotting). This, in turn, can increase your chances of dying due to a heart condition.
More studies point out such to dire conditions, with medical experts stating that 1/5th of the patients of heart disease are also patients of depression (4). In fact, the constant feeling of sadness and hopelessness can make you more susceptible to problems related to one’s heart rhythm. That’s not all, a separate study also points to the fact that patients who have both depression and heart disease are two times more likely to fall prey to premature death (5).
Despite the overwhelming evidence that suggests heart disease and depression are closely linked, scientists as of yet don’t know whether depression follows heart disease or if it’s the other way round. It is in this regard that a researcher, Dr. Victor Okunrintemi, carried out a two-part study to discover the link between heart health and depression. He found out that depression actually serves as a complication of heart disease. What this means is that people who suffer from cardiovascular issues are very likely to suffer from depression too (6).
In the course of his research, Dr. Okunrintemi collected and analyzed a ton of data centering on medically-diagnosed patients of depression as well as undiagnosed – the patient’s experiences, the way they used resources, and their healthcare expenditure.
After the analysis of data, he along with his team of researchers conducted a survey. In this, he asked the patients to answer very specific questions that centered on their health. Moreover, he and his team divided the group of undiagnosed patients into two separate groups – one at high-risk and the other at low-risk of depression.
When the results of the study came in, Dr. Okunrintemi found that the people who belonged to the high-risk set had much higher medical expenses. They also experienced severe medical issues and usually did not know what was going on with them, prompting visits to the emergency room. Their quality of life, in fact, was worse than those who had been diagnosed with depression.
Dr. Okunrintemi explained the reason behind this. He stated that the high-risk group might be worse off than the diagnosed one as the former don’t get access to proper depression treatment, which they should. He also mentioned that individuals from the low-risk group spent much lesser money on medical expenses.
After this discovery, Dr. Okunrintemi and his team compared the health expenditures of the people belonging to the different groups. In this scenario, he and his team found that medically diagnosed patients of depression had a higher rate of hospitalization as compared to non-depressed ones: 54% to be precise. They also used the ER or emergency room more frequently – 43% more than those who didn’t have depression.
Furthermore, the expenditure of individuals with both depression and heart disease was higher as compared to non-depressed individuals, amounting to USD 4,381 extra.
All of these studies cumulatively point out one fact – depression and heart troubles are very closely linked and hence, the treatment of each should take into account the symptoms of both. This will mete out a more comprehensive and effective treatment.
Depression is a very serious issue – one which you shouldn’t shrug off so easily. No matter what society says or thinks, you should actively seek help for depression. You can save your own life just by taking that first step. That’s not all, you’ll also ensure that your heart stays healthy and functions properly in the long run. So, spread the word and prevent the ones you love from being victimized by this disease.
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