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Cardiovascular disease in persons with depressive and anxiety disorders

Nicole Vogelzangs1, Adrie Seldenrijk, Aartjan T F Beekman

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. n.vogelzangs@vumc.nl

Journal of Affective Disorders
|March 13, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Anxiety disorders significantly increase coronary heart disease risk, especially when comorbid with depression. This highlights anxiety as a key cardiovascular risk factor needing clinical attention.

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry and Cardiology
  • Epidemiology of Mental Health
  • Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors

Background:

  • Established links exist between depression, anxiety, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in general and cardiac populations.
  • This study investigated CVD prevalence in a large cohort of individuals with depression and/or anxiety disorders.
  • The research also explored the influence of specific clinical features of these disorders on CVD association.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if CVD is more prevalent in individuals with current or remitted depressive and/or anxiety disorders compared to controls.
  • To examine the role of specific clinical characteristics (subtype, duration, severity, medication) in the association between these mental health disorders and CVD.
  • To identify anxiety disorders as a significant risk indicator for coronary heart disease.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized baseline data from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety cohort (N=2315) and healthy controls (N=492).
  • Assessed current (past year) or remitted DSM-IV depressive or anxiety disorders.
  • Evaluated cardiovascular disease (stroke, coronary heart disease) using self-report and medication data, alongside clinical characteristics.

Main Results:

  • Individuals with current anxiety disorders exhibited a ~3-fold increased prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD).
  • Comorbid anxiety and depression showed a 3.54-fold increased prevalence of CHD.
  • No significant associations were found for depressive disorders alone, remitted disorders, or stroke; symptom severity was the strongest predictor for CHD.

Conclusions:

  • Prevalence of CHD was notably increased in individuals with anxiety disorders within this cohort.
  • The elevated CHD risk in depressed individuals was primarily linked to comorbid anxiety.
  • Anxiety, both alone and with depression, is a crucial risk indicator for CHD, warranting greater research and clinical focus.
Abstract

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