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Depression as a risk factor for acute coronary syndrome: a review

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Abstract

Purpose

In the past few years more and more research focused on psychosocial risk factors of cardiovascular disease, including depression. This review focuses on depression as a long-term risk factor for acute coronary syndrome in initially heart disease-free people.

Methods

The studies included (n = 15) comprised people without heart disease who were exposed to depression. The outcome was acute coronary syndrome (acute myocardial infarction, instable angina pectoris, sudden cardiac death). Only articles published in English between 2000 and 2013 were considered.

Results

Most but not all studies found an association between depression and cardiac outcome. Possible explanations for the inconsistency of the findings are discussed.

Conclusions

Most likely there is an association between depression and acute coronary syndrome. However, it remains unclear whether depression acts as an independent risk factor for developing an acute coronary syndrome, or if depression promotes the development of an acute coronary syndrome by indirect means.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for the support of Ramona Guelpa, secretary at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, division of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, Inselspital Bern, Switzerland. The authors have received no funding for this article.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare to have no conflict of interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inselspital Bern, Effingerstrasse 102, 3010, Bern, Switzerland

    Genny S. Misteli & Petra Stute

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  1. Genny S. Misteli
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  2. Petra Stute
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Correspondence to Petra Stute.

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Supplemental Table 1 Studies included in this review (DOC 173 kb)

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Misteli, G.S., Stute, P. Depression as a risk factor for acute coronary syndrome: a review. Arch Gynecol Obstet 291, 1213–1220 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-015-3618-0

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