Psychosocial factors associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety following acute myocardial infarction

To study factors associated with symptoms of depression and/or anxiety following acute myocardial infarction [AMI]. This Cross-sectional analytical, non-interventional, hospital based study was carried out at Punjab Institute of Cardiology [P.I.C] and Services Hospital, Lahore. One hundred consecutive inpatients with AMI diagnosed using WHO criteria, with the age range of 30-60 years [who were without physical complications] were included in the study. The Urdu version of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS] was administered to each patient during the period of 5-7 days following AMI. A semi structured clinical interview was also conducted which included demographic information, psychiatric assessment and risk factors related to AMI especially psychosocial factors. Results were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences [SPSS]. Out of 100 subjects, 80 [80%] were males and 20 [20%] were females. The age range was between 30-60 years [50.92 +/- 8.53]. Over all, symptoms of depression and/or anxiety were found in 50 [50%] patients. More particularly, symptoms of depression were found in 14%, symptoms of anxiety in 18%, and mixed symptoms [depression and anxiety] in 18% of the patients. A significant association was found between symptoms of depression and/or anxiety following AMI and family history of AMI [p < .007], type A behavior traits [p < .001], job stress [p < .01] and lack of confiding relationships [p < .002]. However, no significant association was found between symptoms of depression and/or anxiety following AMI and past history of AMI. The findings highlight the critical need to assess symptoms of depression and/or anxiety following AMI along with the factors leading to these. This would be particularly important in patients who have a family history of MI, job related stress, lack of confiding relationships and type A behavior traits

Symptoms of deperession and anxiety in post-myocardial infarction patients

To assess the frequency of symptoms of depression and/or anxiety following acute myocardial infarction [AMI] and to analyse their association with demographic variables. Design: A cross-sectional analytical, non-interventional hospital based study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at Punjab Institute of Cardiology [PIC], Lahore, from January 2000 to January 2001. Patients and A total number of 100 inpatients suffering from AMI were studied. After a careful selection of the subjects the Urdu version of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS] was administered to each patient during the period of 5-7 days following AMI to assess symptoms of depression and anxiety. A semi-structured clinical interview was also conducted which included demographic information, psychiatric history and other variables. Results were analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences [SPSS version 8.0]. Out of 100 subjects, 80 [80%] were males and 20 [20%] were females. Their ages ranged from 30-60 years [mean age, 50.92+8.53]. Overall, symptoms of anxiety and/or depression were found in 50 [50%] patients. More specifically, symptoms of depression were found in 14%, anxiety symptoms in 18% and mixed symptoms [anxiety and depression] in 18% of the patients. Results revealed that patients above 45 years of age [i.e. 46-60 years] were more likely to experience symptoms of depression and/ or anxiety following AMI. A significant association was also found between female sex [p <0.02], lower socioeconomic status [p <0.05] and symptoms of depression and/ or anxiety in these patients. However, no significant association was found in relation to educational status, marital status and origin [urban/rural]. The high proportion of patients with AMI found to be suffering from symptoms of depression and/ or anxiety one week after AMI highlights the essential need to assess these symptoms in all such patients during the post-MI period as they merit appropriate treatment alongwith the other complications of AMI