| Depression and Other Illnesses | |
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Depression in the context of physical illness, however, is often unrecognized and untreated. Furthermore, depression can impair the ability to seek and stay on treatment for other medical illnesses.
NIMH research suggests that early diagnosis and treatment of depression in patients with other physical illnesses may help improve overall health outcome.
The results of a recent NIMH-supported study provide the strongest evidence to date that depression increases the risk of having a future heart attack. Analysis of data from a large-scale survey revealed that individuals with a history of major depression were more than four times as likely to suffer a heart attack over a 12-13 year follow-up period, compared to people without such a history.
Even people with a history of two or more weeks of mild depression were more than twice as likely to have a heart attack, compared to those who had had no such episodes.
Although associations were found between certain psychotropic medications and heart attack risk, the researchers determined that the associations were simply a reflection of the primary relationship between depression and heart trouble.
The question of whether treatment for depression reduces the excess risk of heart attack in depressed patients must be addressed with further research.
In 1999, NIMH will be involved in planning and presenting a major conference with other NIH Institutes on depression and co-occurring illnesses. The outcomes of this conference will guide NIMH investigation of depression both as a contributing factor to other medical illnesses and as a result of these illnesses.
NIMH Depression Index
Articles and publications from the National Institute National Institute of Mental Health with the latest research about depression.
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National Institute of Mental Health
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