Pharmacy Daily | Heart attack depression risk

PARTNERS of people who suffer a heart attack have a greater risk of depression or suicide, according to new research published in the European Heart Journal. The study looked at several Danish national registries involving tens of thousands of people to identify individuals whose spouses had fatal and non-fatal acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Overall, 16,506 spouses of individuals dying of AMI were matched with 49,518 spouses of individuals dying of a non-AMI cause; whilst 44,566 spouses of individuals with a non-fatal AMI were matched with 131,563 spouses of individuals with a nonfatal, non-AMI hospitalisation. Researchers then looked at the rates of antidepressant and benzodiazepine use, as well as, depression care and suicides, and compared them pre- and post-event. According to the results, both those whose spouse died of AMI and those whose spouse had a non-fatal AMI (compared with a non-AMI cause) had increased antidepressant and benzodiazepine use. In addition, researchers found that spouses of fatal AMI patients also had an increased risk of depression and suicide. Overall the study found that people who lost their partner to a heart attack were three times as likely to be taking antidepressants in the year after their death compared to the year before. Antidepressant use also went up 17% for people whose partner survived. Interestingly, researchers also found that males whose spouse had a fatal or non-fatal AMI had a relatively higher increased risk of depression than females whose spouse had a heart attack. Speaking in the wake of the study Dr Robert Grenfell, Clinical Issues Director at the Heart Foundation said “We’ve known for some time that having a heart attack can lead to depression and this study shows that the emotional impact also hits partners very hard”. “It’s another reason why we need urgent action to improve cardiac rehabilitation services, which provide counselling for patients and their partners and the opportunity to identify and manage cases of depression early,” he added. MEANWHILE the Heart Foundation also used the study to again urge healthcare practitioners with patients who have suffered a heart attack, heart surgery, or other heart or blood vessel disease to refer them to an appropriate cardiac rehabilitation program. The Heart Foundation also renewed its calls for the Government to fund a national program and increase cardiac rehabilitation availability. According to the Heart Foundation, if the Govt funds a national program more Australians will take part and get the support they need. “This will reduce the chances of heart disease patients having further cardiac events and prevent costly hospital admissions,” Grenfell said.

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