Women more likely than men to develop anxiety, depression after MI

In study data presented at Acute Cardiovascular Care 2014, women were more likely than men to develop anxiety and depression after MI.

Moreover, among patients with MI, the likelihood of anxiety was higher among smokers and the likelihood of depression was higher among those with low levels of physical activity.

Pranas Serpytis, MD, PhD, FESC, and colleagues analyzed 160 patients (63.1% men; mean age, 67 years) who were admitted with MI to a center in Vilnius, Lithuania.

“Major depression follows MI in approximately 18% of cases and is an important predictor of disability and poor quality of life in the year post-MI,” Serpytis, from the Centre of Cardiovascular Disease at University Hospital Santariskiu Vilnius, said in a press release. “Patients with depression are nearly six times more likely to die within 6 months after an MI than those without depression. The increased risk of death in patients with depression persists up to 18 months after the MI. But despite that fact that post-MI depression is common and burdensome, the condition remains underrecognized and undertreated.”

Serpytis and colleagues interviewed patients at least 1 month after MI. They assessed anxiety and depression via the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS): score of 0 to 7 for no anxiety and depression, score of 8 to 10 for possible anxiety and depression, and score of at least 11 for mild to moderate levels of anxiety and depression symptoms. They also assessed demographic and clinical characteristics, history of mental health and CVD risk factors.

Increased depression levels were observed in 24.4% of patients, of which 28.2% were using antidepressants (P<.05). The researchers found no link between number of MIs and anxiety or depression.

Compared with men, women had a higher mean HADS score for depression (8.66 vs. 6.87; P<.05) and anxiety (8.2 vs. 7.18; P<.05).

More than 15% of patients who were current smokers had a higher mean HADS score for anxiety (10.16) compared with 77.5% of patients who reported never smoking (7.3) and 6.9% of patients who had quit smoking for more than 2 years (4.55; P<.05). Smoking was not associated with depression level, according to the researchers.

Sixty-four percent of patients with depression reported no physical activity (P<.05). Those who were physically inactive had a mean HADS score for depression of 8.96. No link emerged between physical activity and anxiety.

“Our study shows that women are more likely to develop anxiety and depression after MI than men, but until now this issue has been largely unnoticed,” Serpytis said in the press release. “Clinicians should assess MI patients, particularly women, for anxiety and depression so that timely treatment can be started.”

For more information:

Serpytis P. Abstract #P300. Presented at: Acute Cardiovascular Care 2014; Oct. 18-20; Geneva.

Disclosure: Serpytis reports no relevant financial disclosures.