Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Cutoff Value of Phase Angle by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis at Admission as a Prognostic Factor in Patients with Acute Heart Failure
05:16

Cutoff Value of Phase Angle by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis at Admission as a Prognostic Factor in Patients with Acute Heart Failure

Published on: June 10, 2025

Depressive symptoms and heart failure stages

Ana Azevedo1, Paulo Bettencourt, Fernando Friões

  • 1Dept. of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Porto Medical School, Alameda Prof. Hernani Monteiro, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal. anazev@med.up.pt

Psychosomatics
|January 24, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Depression symptoms increase with heart failure stages, particularly in women. Men with symptomatic heart failure (Stage C) showed significantly higher depression scores.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Psychiatry
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Heart failure is a growing public health concern.
  • Depression is a common comorbidity in patients with heart failure.
  • Understanding the relationship between heart failure progression and depression is crucial for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between evolving stages of heart failure and depressive symptoms.
  • To examine potential sex differences in this association.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 338 noninstitutionalized adults aged 45 years and older.
  • Heart failure stages defined by the American College of Cardiology (Stages A, B, C).
  • Depressive symptoms measured using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

Main Results:

  • Women reported significantly higher depressive symptoms (BDI scores) than men.
  • In women, BDI scores increased linearly with heart failure stages.
  • In men, only symptomatic heart failure (Stage C) was significantly associated with higher BDI scores.

Conclusions:

  • Depressive symptoms are associated with heart failure progression, especially in women.
  • Sex-specific differences exist in the relationship between heart failure stages and depression.
  • Further research into targeted interventions for depression in heart failure patients is warranted.

Related Concept Videos

Heart Failure IV: Classification and Diagnostic Evaluation01:30

Heart Failure IV: Classification and Diagnostic Evaluation

Heart failure can be classified in various ways, with the most common classifications based on physical activity limitations, disease progression, severity, and treatment strategies.The Functional Classification of Heart Failure divides patients into four categories based on physical activity limitation due to symptom burden.Class I: Patients in this class have cardiac disease but no physical activity limitations. Ordinary activities like walking, climbing stairs, or routine tasks do not cause...
Pathophysiology of Heart Failure01:17

Pathophysiology of Heart Failure

Heart failure (HF) is a progressive syndrome involving ventricles that leads to inadequate cardiac output. It can be classified based on location and output or ejection fraction. Ejection fraction (EF) is an essential measurement in the diagnosis and surveillance of HF. Reduced EF corresponds to systolic heart failure (HFrEF). However, HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is becoming increasingly prevalent. Also known as diastolic HF, this form of HF is related to aging. The...
Heart Failure III: Clinical Manifestations01:26

Heart Failure III: Clinical Manifestations

Heart failure (HF) manifests primarily as dyspnea, fatigue, and fluid retention, resulting in peripheral and pulmonary edema. Symptoms may vary depending on which ventricle is more affected, left or right.Left-Sided Heart FailureAlso known as left ventricular failure, this condition results from the left ventricle's inability to fill or eject sufficient blood into the systemic circulation. It leads to pulmonary congestion, which occurs when the left ventricle fails to eject blood effectively...
Heart Failure VII: Nursing Interventions01:30

Heart Failure VII: Nursing Interventions

The first step in nursing management of a patient with heart failure involves thoroughly assessing the patient's medical history.Subjective Data: Obtain the patient's medical history of coronary artery disease, hypertension, myocardial infarction, and symptoms like dyspnea, orthopnea, and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea.Objective Data: Conduct a physical examination to identify findings such as jugular vein distention, pulmonary crackles, tachycardia, murmurs, peripheral edema, and vital signs,...
Heart Failure I: Introduction01:27

Heart Failure I: Introduction

Heart failure refers to a clinical syndrome caused by structural or functional cardiac disorders that prevent the heart from pumping an adequate amount of blood to meet the body's metabolic needs. This condition often arises from myocardial infarction or ischemia, leading to decreased cardiac output, reduced tissue perfusion, impaired gas exchange, fluid volume imbalance, and decreased functional ability.Heart failure can result from disruptions in the mechanisms that regulate cardiac output...
Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology01:29

Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology

Systolic Heart Failure and Compensatory MechanismsSystolic heart failure (also termed HFrEF, Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction) is the most prevalent type of heart filure. It results in a decreased volume of blood being pumped from the ventricle. The aortic arch and carotid sinuses have baroreceptors that detect reduced blood pressure, triggering the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to release epinephrine and norepinephrine. Initially, this response aims to boost heart rate and...