Depression is a common mental health condition. People with depression may experience persistent feelings of hopelessness and low energy. It can become difficult to carry out daily activities.

Anxiety is also a common mental health condition. People with anxiety may experience sleep disturbances, persistent anxiety, and restlessness. Even those who are anxious, increasing risk For depression.

Poor mental health can have a negative impact on physical health. For example, people with depression who have chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease may experience worsening symptoms from both conditions. People who suffer from anxiety may also be at higher risk for cardiovascular disease.

Chen-Han Chen, MD, board-certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the structural heart program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, Calif., who was not involved in the study, explained: did. Today’s medical news:

“There is a very close relationship between mental health and cardiovascular disease, and this relationship goes both ways. People with disorders such as depression and anxiety are risk factors for heart disease. You may experience increased blood pressure and physiological stress.”

“Additionally, they are more likely to make lifestyle changes such as smoking and physical inactivity, which may further increase their risk of developing cardiovascular disease.” Conversely, patients who suffer from heart conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure are at higher risk of developing mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. [post-traumatic stress disorder]after a stressful acute cardiovascular event. ”

Researchers don’t fully understand the exact relationship between poor mental health and physical conditions.

Researchers in the current study wanted to better understand the relationship between certain heart conditions and anxiety and depression.

This study was a population-based retrospective cohort study. The researchers included his 1,563 participants using Ohio Medicaid data in the analysis.

The participants had coronary artery disease and heart failure, as well as anxiety and depression. They also had experienced a first hospitalization related to heart failure or ischemic heart disease.

Researchers looked at treatments for anxiety and depression and how they were associated with hospital readmissions, emergency room visits for heart failure and coronary artery disease, all-cause mortality, and heart disease mortality. Researchers looked at whether participants were receiving psychotherapy and whether they were taking antidepressants.

They noted and accounted for several covariates, including ethnicity, Medicaid eligibility, and biological sex. They ran different models adjusting for different covariates.

The analysis found that people who received both psychotherapy and medication for depression and anxiety experienced the greatest benefits and the greatest reductions in risk.

However, all groups that received any treatment saw benefits in terms of readmissions and emergency department visits. Researchers did not observe a significant reduction in the risk of death from heart disease in patients treated for anxiety or depression.

People who received both drug and psychotherapy were 75% less likely to be hospitalized again, 74% less likely to have to go to the emergency room, and 66% less likely to die from any cause.

The results demonstrate the importance of treating mental illness in people with heart disease as a way to improve heart disease outcomes.

Study author Philip F. Binkley, MD, professor of internal medicine and director of cardiovascular research in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Ohio Wexner Medical Center, explained the study’s key findings: MNT.

He told us:[p]Patients hospitalized with heart failure or coronary artery disease who suffer from anxiety or depression can benefit from mental health treatment consisting of psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of both. ”

“Those who receive a combination of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy will benefit the most,” he noted. “In all cases, it significantly reduces the need to return to the hospital or go to the emergency room, reducing the risk of death.”

Dr. Majid Basit, an interventional cardiologist at Memorial Hermann in Houston, who was not involved in the study, also commented on his thoughts on the study:

“This study shows the importance of recognizing mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression in patients with cardiovascular disease. This is especially important for vulnerable populations, such as those who have been hospitalized with the disease.”

This study has a number of limitations. First, some data may be missing because only Ohio Medicaid participants were included and data were collected from submitted claims. The study also failed to identify causal relationships between the factors the researchers looked at.

The majority of participants were white, so future studies may focus on studying other groups. The researchers also did not include adults over 64 years old, so future studies should include older participants.

Additionally, since this study lasted only a relatively short period of time, longer-term studies may also be conducted to confirm these findings.

Researchers may have missed certain confounders or failed to account for certain factors, such as disease severity. Nor was it possible to confirm mental health diagnoses using standardized assessments.

Binkley emphasized:

“This is a retrospective study, and further prospective research on mental health interventions for heart disease patients is needed. Mechanistic studies that further elucidate the physiological link between heart disease and mental health problems are important for both diseases. “This will further advance our ability to prevent and treat cancer.”