Negativity Impacts The Heart

Researchers evaluated patient experience, healthcare costs and resource use in adult cardiovascular disease patients, who were put into 2 groups: those diagnosed with depression and those not diagnosed with depression. Based on questionnaire responses those not diagnosed were divided into low and high risk for depression groups.

Comparing low to high risk groups of cardiovascular patients who had not been diagnosed with depression it was found that: high risk patients were more than 2 times likely to become hospitalized; high risk patients spent more on healthcare expenditures; high risk patients had worse quality of life; high risk patients were over 5 times more likely to have poor perceived health and 4 times more likely to be unhappy with their healthcare.

Comparing health resource use and costs among patients with and without depression it was found that heart attack patients diagnosed with depression were 54% more likely to be hospitalized and 43% more likely to have ER visits, and spent around $4,381 more annually as well.

Stroke patients diagnosed with depression prior to having stroke were found to be more likely to report functional declines and worse stroke impact on healthy and quality of life months after stroke than those without depression in a separate study. 

Upwards of 1,600 stroke patients discharged from hospital with similar functional status were studied. At 3 and 6 months after discharge those diagnosed with depression before having stroke were found to be 56% more likely to report functional declines and greater negative stroke related impacts on life and health.

Researchers suggest more effective strategies to manage depression among patients be developed to improve patients health and quality of life.