Symptoms of deperession and anxiety in post-myocardial infarction patients

ABSTRACT

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