A Depressed Brain and an Unhealthy Heart
February is heart month, a reminder of the importance of good cardiovascular health and fitness. But did you know that cardiovascular disease and depression actually tend to co-occur? One in five people with heart disease have depression while one in five sufferers of a heart attack have depression. Heart disease increases the risk of depression while depression can increase the risk of heart disease and complications from the illness. Due to the nature of the disorder, a person who is depressed may forget to take daily heart medicines or have habits like smoking, consuming too much alcohol, not exercising and eating a poor diet, which can complicate a heart disease diagnosis or put an individual at risk of heart health problems. In addition, depression and high stress can lead to high blood pressure, a weak immune system and irregular heart beats increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease or stroke.
This February, when you think about ways to better care for your heart, consider how to take better care of your brain as well. Depression is a treatable condition and you can help your overall health by recognizing it and taking steps to address it. If you think you or a family member may have depression, schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor or request a referral for a psychiatrist. It is important to mention any concerns about your heart or mental health to your doctor immediately. See a therapist if you are struggling with a stressful event in your life or if you are feeling depressed. The escalation of stress can be very harmful to both a person at risk of depression and/or heart disease. Counseling has been shown to be very effective in treating many people with depression and can also be helpful for a non-depressed patient going through another difficult medical problem like heart disease. Talk to your doctor about taking an anti-depressant medication if your symptoms do not improve with therapy alone. These medications can be an important part of your depression treatment and most are safe to take when being treated for heart disease.
The U-M Depression Center and Cardiovascular Centers currently collaborate to treat patients suffering from co-occurring depression and heart disease. New treatment options and individualized patient care plans are regularly being improved for this common pairing of illnesses. For more information, please contact the Ambulatory Psychiatry intake line at (734) 764-0231.
To learn about the U-M Cardiovascular Center, please visit www.med.umich.edu/cvc/
