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Depressed mood, positive affect, and heart rate variability in patients with suspected coronary artery disease

Mimi R Bhattacharyya1, Daisy L Whitehead, Roby Rakhit

  • 1Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK. m.bhattacharyya@ucl.ac.uk

Psychosomatic Medicine
|October 23, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Positive affect, not depression, is linked to better heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). This suggests positive emotions may protect cardiovascular health.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Psychophysiology
  • Behavioral Medicine

Background:

  • Depression is linked to impaired heart rate variability (HRV) after cardiac events, but findings in stable coronary artery disease (CAD) are mixed.
  • Understanding the interplay between mood and cardiac autonomic function in CAD is crucial for cardiovascular health.
  • Heart rate variability (HRV) reflects autonomic nervous system activity, which is influenced by emotional states.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the associations between heart rate variability (HRV), depressed mood, and positive affect in individuals suspected of having coronary artery disease (CAD).
  • To clarify the inconsistent evidence regarding depression and HRV in stable CAD patients.
  • To explore the potential role of affective experiences in modulating cardiac autonomic function.

Main Methods:

  • Seventy-six patients undergoing investigation for suspected CAD completed 24-hour electrocardiograms.
  • Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) assessed depression, while the Day Reconstruction Method (DRM) measured positive and depressed affect.
  • Heart rate variability (HRV) was analyzed using spectral analysis, with 46 patients confirmed to have CAD.

Main Results:

  • Positive affect was associated with higher normalized high-frequency (HF) power and lower normalized low-frequency (LF) power of HRV, independent of various covariates.
  • Depressed affect in patients with confirmed CAD correlated with reduced normalized HF power and increased normalized LF power.
  • No consistent association was found between Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) depression scores and HRV.

Conclusions:

  • The relationship between depression and HRV in CAD patients may be influenced by the affective experiences during the monitoring period.
  • Positive affect may confer cardiovascular protection through enhanced parasympathetic cardiac control.
  • Affective state, particularly positive affect, plays a significant role in cardiac autonomic regulation in patients with suspected or confirmed CAD.
Abstract

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