Use of the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) in a cardiac emergency room: chest pain unit
Clinics
;
64(3): 209-214, 2009. tab
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-509426
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression in patients complaining of chest pain who seek a chest pain unit attendance.INTRODUCTION:
Patients arriving at a Chest Pain Unit may present psychiatric disorders not identified, isolated or co-morbid to the main illness, which may interfere in the patient prognosis.METHODOLOGY:
Patients were assessed by the "Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale" as a screening instrument wile following a systematized protocol to rule out the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome and other potentially fatal diseases. Patients with 8 or more points in the scale were considered "probable case" of anxiety or depression.RESULTS:
According to the protocol, 59 (45.4 percent) of 130 patients studied presented Chest Pain of Determined Cause, and 71 (54.6 percent) presented Chest Pain of Indefinite Cause. In the former group, in which 43 (33.1 percent) had acute coronary syndrome, 33.9 percent were probable anxiety cases and 30.5 percent depression cases. In the second group, formed by patients without acute coronary syndrome or any clinical conditions involving greater morbidity and mortality risk, 53.5 percent were probable anxiety cases and 25.4 percent depression.CONCLUSION:
The high anxiety and depression prevalence observed may indicate the need for early and specialized approach to these disorders. When coronary arterial disease is present, this may decrease complications and shorten hospital stay. When psychiatric disorder appears isolated, is possible to reduce unnecessary repeated visits to emergency room and increase patient's quality of life.
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Anxiety
/
Chest Pain
/
Depression
/
Emergency Service, Hospital
Type of study:
Practice guideline
/
Prevalence study
/
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
/
Risk factors
Limits:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
English
Journal:
Clinics
Journal subject:
Medicine
Year:
2009
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro/BR
/
Hospital Pró-Cardíaco/BR
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