Can depressive symptoms lead to cardiac dysfunction and lead to cardiovascular disease? So says a Canadian study, which found that depression was associated with a risk of early mortality and cardiovascular disease.
- A large study conducted in 21 countries concludes that adults with at least 4 depressive symptoms have a 14% increased risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease.
- These results remain the same, regardless of the country’s level of economic resources.
- These results remain the same, regardless of the country’s level of economic resources. The risks are moreover twice as high for men and people living in urban areas.
- According to the authors of the study, governments should integrate this data into their public health policies, especially as experts predict an increase in the number of people suffering from mental illnesses as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and periods of confinement.
Affecting more than 300 million people worldwide according to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is a mental illness which, according to new work published in JAMA Psychiatrycould be involved in the onset of cardiovascular disease.
Led by researchers from Simon Fraser University (Canada), they are based on a large cohort representative of the population. “Our initial question was whether previous research identifying similar association patterns in most Western countries could be generalized to other parts of the world.explained in a statement Professor Scott Lear, lead author of the study. Our results suggest they can, and we found similar results in countries at all economic levels..”
A 14% increased risk
The global study followed 145,862 participants between the ages of 35 and 70 from 21 countries. Among them, 11% reported at least four depressive symptoms at baseline. After analyzing the results, the researchers found that all causes combined, they had an increased risk of mortality of 17% and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease 14% in people with four or more depressive symptoms.
The risks were also twice as high in urban areas, where the majority of the world’s population will live by 2050. Finally, although depressive symptoms are less common in menthe associations between depression, death and cardiovascular disease were twice as strong in men as in women.
For a comprehensive approach to the fight against mental illness
According to the study authors, these data suggest that depressive symptoms should be considered as important as traditional risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol in preventing heart disease and death. early.
“If governments are to achieve the health-related Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in resource-poor settings, they should raise awareness of the physical health risks associated with depression and prioritize an integrated and comprehensive approach to fight against non-communicable diseases and mental disorderswrite the researchers. At the same time, broader public policies should promote mental well-being and healthy behaviors as part of an overall strategy to tackle non-communicable diseases..”
According to the study authors, these results come at a good time, as experts predict an increase in the number of people suffering from mental health problems due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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