Even Mild Depression Ups Heart Failure Death Risk
A state of depression so mild that most doctors might not notice it significantly increases the long-term risk of death for people with heart failure, a new study finds.
Following 1,005 patients with heart failure for seven years, researchers found those whose score on a standard psychiatric test indicated mild depression were 44 percent more likely to die compared to those who scored in the normal range. Dr. Wei Jiang, an assistant professor of internal medicine and psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center, reported the findings Monday at the American College of Cardiology scientific sessions, in Orlando, Fla.
Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.Like this author?
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Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 8 Mar 2005
Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.
Grohol, J. (2005). Even Mild Depression Ups Heart Failure Death Risk. Psych Central. Retrieved on May 25, 2012, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2005/03/08/even-mild-depression-ups-heart-failure-death-risk/
