Heart and Mind

New research has uncovered an interesting link between the heart and mind: Men who undergo coronary bypass surgery and subsequently suffer from depression a month later are at greater risk of experiencing additional cardiac problems such as angina five years later. The study, published in the latest issue of Psychosomatics, also suggests that women have chest pains similar to angina regardless of whether or not they are experiencing depression.

The study followed 172 people who underwent heart surgery after first being accessed for symptoms and levels of depression. Researchers drew their conclusions based on subject interviews conducted one month, one year and then five years after their surgery. Their findings suggest that people scheduled for heart surgery should first be evaluated for depression and treated if necessary.