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Anxiety, depression and psychosocial stress in patients with cardiac events

Anne John Michael1, Saroja Krishnaswamy, Tamil Selvan Muthusamy

  • 1Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Allied Health Science, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

The Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences : MJMS
|May 19, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Psychological distress, including anxiety and depression, significantly increases the risk of recurrent cardiac events in patients with coronary heart disease. Managing stress is crucial for improving prognosis and preventing future heart problems.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Psychosomatic Medicine
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Coronary heart disease (CHD) prognosis is negatively impacted by stress.
  • Psychosocial factors like anxiety, depression, and life events are implicated in cardiac event recurrence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between stress-related psychosocial factors and cardiac events (acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina).
  • To assess the impact of anxiety, depression, and life events on the recurrence of cardiac events.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 65 patients with confirmed myocardial infarction or unstable angina was studied.
  • Patients completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Rahe's Stress and Coping Inventory at event onset and 6 months later.
  • Anxiety, depression, life event scores, and cardiac event recurrence were recorded.

Main Results:

  • Patients with significant depression or life event scores were ten times more likely to experience recurrent cardiac events.
  • Anxiety, depression, and stress levels were elevated post-ischemic heart disease onset.

Conclusions:

  • Increased psychological distress (anxiety, depression, stress) post-cardiac event is linked to higher recurrence rates.
  • These psychological factors may act as contributing or predisposing elements for recurrent cardiac events in CHD patients.

Keywords:
Acute myocardial infarctiondepressionlife eventsstressunstable angina

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