Erschienen in:
01.10.2007 | ORIGINAL PAPER
Is depression a risk factor for heart complaints?
Longitudinal aspects in the Zurich study
verfasst von:
Dominique Eich, MD, Christoph Neuhaus, MSc, Alex Gamma, PhD, Jules Angst, MD, Wulf Rössler, MD, MSc, Vladeta Ajdacic-Gross, PhD, Milos Opravil
Erschienen in:
European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
|
Ausgabe 7/2007
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Abstract
Background
The objective of this longitudinal study was to assess the association between major depression and heart complaints in a population of young and healthy adults.
Methods
Starting at the age 20/21, participants of the Zurich Study underwent 6 structured, psychological interviews during a span of 20 years. We evaluated longitudinal data from 277 persons who participated in all 6 interviews including questions about heart complaints.
Results
Over 20 years, heart complaints were reported by two thirds of participants, and the frequency of depression was 11.4%. At the age of 40/41, heart complaints were significantly associated with earlier heart complaints and major depression, both more often in women. Recurrent brief depression showed a tendency, but neither minor depression nor depressive symptoms were predictive for later heart complaints.
Conclusions
This study suggests that major depression is a predictor for heart complaints at the age of 40 and that the severity of depressive disorder in younger age has an effect on subsequent heart complaints. Follow-up data will help to elucidate whether these subjective heart complaints show any correlation with a later coronary heart disease.