The study tracked and reviewed medical claims from 2005 to 2022, analyzing rates of depression and eventual CVD diagnoses for more than 4 million patients.

There were slightly more men than women in the study. The average age was 44 years. To qualify for depression status in the analysis, a participant was required to have a clinical diagnosis prior to her CVD diagnosis.

Patient health data includes BMI, blood pressure, fasting cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. Cardiovascular events include myocardial infarction (heart attack), angina (recurrent chest pain), heart failure, and atrial fibrillation.

The researchers used the data to calculate several “hazard ratios” (which simply indicate a person’s risk of having something happen) for men and women.

The results suggest that the hazard ratio for a depression diagnosis leading to CVD is 1.39 for men and 1.64 for women. In particular, women were more likely than men to suffer from depression, which can lead to heart attacks, chest pain, stroke, and heart failure.

The researchers acknowledged that the study included some obvious limitations.

These included the fact that it was not possible to collect specific details about participants’ symptoms of depression or the potential impact of COVID-19. Additionally, this study was observational, meaning it cannot prove a causal relationship between depression and cardiovascular disease.

Although society (and movies) more often associate heart attacks with men than women, the risk is equal for both men and women.

However, the statistics regarding treatment and death from heart attacks are less favorable for women.

“I was very happy to learn that we were finally working on this study, and it raises some important points,” said Dr. M., a cardiologist and director of women’s heart disease at Central Region Northwell Health. said Dr. Evelina Graber, Director of Health. In this study.

“Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death for women,” Graeber said. Today’s medical news. “It kills more women than breast, lung, and colon cancers combined. But because women don’t have typical heart attack symptoms, many women ignore their symptoms. I am.”

Graeber said women are more likely to experience chest tightness, shortness of breath, fatigue and abdominal discomfort, rather than left arm pain or the feeling of having an “elephant sitting on your chest.”

past research American Heart Association researchers note that women are 20% more likely to die within the first five years after a severe heart attack. They also point out that women are less likely to see a cardiologist in the hospital and less likely to receive prescriptions for drugs such as beta-blockers and cholesterol medications.

women are twice the probability They are more likely to be diagnosed with depression than men.

The big question is why.

Researchers in the new study theorize that women may experience more severe and persistent symptoms. This increase in intensity can further impact lifestyle habits that contribute to a person’s risk of heart attack.

Women also face unique health challenges during pregnancy and around menopause. Such hormonal fluctuations can easily contribute to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and general stress.

Women also have significantly higher rate This includes classic risk factors for CVD such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.

“We appreciate the efforts this study made to understand why women are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease and why depression increases that risk,” Graeber said. “They acknowledge that women experience depression for longer and deeper.”

Grayver highlighted two areas of concern: inflammation and hormonal fluctuations.

“Depression and anxiety are stressors that create havoc that causes inflammation in the body. That inflammation causes a significant increase in cortisol levels and an inflammatory cascade that has cardiovascular effects,” Graeber said. . “But the cardiovascular system extends beyond the heart. It’s all vessels. From the carotid arteries in the neck, through the heart, and through blood vessels throughout the body.”

Chronic stress, depression, and anxiety can cause persistent inflammation, which can harden blood vessels and cause plaque to build up.

“Yes, we know that women with depression are at increased risk for obesity and diabetes, but we also know that there are significant gender-specific risk factors here,” Graeber explained. “Women should be treated based on their reproductive age. The risk of depression during a woman’s reproductive years is different than during the perimenopausal, menopausal, or postmenopausal stages.”

Graeber said the normal hormonal fluctuations that women experience through the transition to menopause play an important role in cardiovascular health as well as mental health. Estrogen is known to relax arteries and stimulate the production of good “HDL” cholesterol.

“As the heart begins to lose estrogen protection, hormonal fluctuations can also affect mental health,” she added. “This is a time when anxiety and depression are much more common in women.”

“The medical world is too fragmented,” Graeber says. “When we see a patient in cardiology, we must treat the whole person. All subspecialists should be equipped with depression screening and assessment tools.”

“Even in the subspecialty world, we still need to treat the person as a whole person and not be afraid to talk about mental health,” she added. “That hesitancy is on both the physician and patient side.”