Report says cardiologists need guidelines for diagnosing, treating depression



http://www.eurekalert.org/

Public release date: 22-Sep-2006

Contact: Craig LeMoult
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212-305-0820
Columbia University Medical Center
Report says cardiologists need guidelines for diagnosing, treating
depression
NHLBI Working Group calls for more research on link between depression,
cardiovascular problems

NEW YORK, September 22, 2006 -- Cardiologists know that treating
depression likely will benefit patients complaining of cardiovascular
problems, but lack the guidance to properly diagnose or recommend
treatment for depression, according to a report out today from a
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Working Group,
according to a report out today from a National Heart, Lung and Blood
Institute (NHLBI) Working Group. The paper was published simultaneously
in "Annals of Behavioral Medicine" and "Psychosomatic Medicine."
According to the report, up to 20 percent of patients with heart disease
meet the American Psychiatric Association's criteria for major
depression, and identifying better treatments for depression in this
population could lead to improved medical, financial and psychosocial
outcomes.
"One major aspect of the problem is that cardiologists don't have a
standard assessment to diagnose depression," said Karina Davidson,
Ph.D., chair of the NHLBI Working Group and co-director of the
Behavioral Cardiovascular Health and Hypertension Center at Columbia
University Medical Center. "It's important that research in this area
move forward so cardiologists can confidently address the issue of
depression, knowing that their patients are getting the most appropriate
and effective therapy."
Dr. Davidson pointed out that antidepressant prescription use in heart
attack patients is steadily rising, but in the absence of a large
clinical trial that would clearly indicate the best way to treat
depression in these cases.
There are a number of ways treating depression may impact cardiovascular
health. Antidepressants may normalize platelet reactivity, which is
implicated in leading to heart attacks. Also, depressed patients tend
not to follow medical recommendations, so treating depression may
influence them to take prescribed medications or follow other guidance
from doctors.
Although depressed patients might be more likely to have cardiovascular
risk factors such as increased weight and a sedentary lifestyle, many
studies reviewed by the NHLBI Working Group controlled for those factors
and still found a relationship between depression and cardiovascular
health, meaning the link is independent of those risk factors.

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The NHLBI Working Group included an interdisciplinary team of
cardiologists, psychiatrists, epidemiologists and clinical researchers
from Columbia University Medical Center, Mount Sinai School of Medicine,
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Duke University Medical
Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, University of
California San Francisco, Harvard University, and many other major
institutions.
Columbia University Medical Center provides international leadership in
pre-clinical and clinical research, in medical and health sciences
education, and in patient care. The medical center trains future leaders
and includes the dedicated work of many physicians, scientists, nurses,
dentists, and public health professionals at the College of Physicians &
Surgeons, the College of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the
Mailman School of Public Health, the biomedical departments of the
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and allied research centers and
institutions.
www.cumc.columbia.edu





 

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