Does anxiety and depression cause acute myocardial infarction?

ABSTRACT

To study the frequency of depression and anxiety in patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction [AMI]. Two hundred consecutive patients of AMI without complications presenting to the coronary care unit of Cardiology department of Lady Reading Hospital and 200 healthy controls among patient's attendants were interviewed with standard scales of HADS and HRS for the presence of depression from to date. Two hundred consecutive patients of AMI and 200 healthy controls among patient's relatives were assessed on HADS and HRS scale for the presence of depression. Sixty three percent of the patients were male in both groups. Mean age of patients was 59 +/- 11 years while that of controls was 52 +/- 10 years. Although significantly different between the two groups, age had no significant effect on the presence of depression in any group [p < 0.4]. A significant difference was noted in the number of events reported between patients of AMI and control group, 4.21 +/- versus 2.71+ respectively [p<0.001]. On Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS] 77.5% of the acute MI patients had depression compared to 64% in the control group [p< 0.003]. When HADS was used to asses the level of anxiety and depression in the two groups, 83% of patients in the AMI group reported abnormal i.e. scores above 17 compared to 70% in the control group [p< 0.001]. Depression was more common in patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction as assessed by standard scales as compared to controls