Emotional health may play a far greater role in the long-term survival
of patients suffering from chronic heart failure, according to a
new study that compared the mortality rates of patients based on
a common screening test for depression. So much so, even patients
considered to be in a sub-depressive state can also increase their
risk of death.
Scientists tracked the progress of more than 1,000 cardiac patients
who were screened for depression during their hospital stay using
Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), then followed them for seven
years to determine if there was a correlation between test scores
and mortality rates. (Generally, patients with a BDI score of 10
are considered mildly depressed, while those in the 12-19 range
can vary from being mildly to moderately depressed.)
Those who had a BDI score of 10 or higher had a 44 percent greater
mortality risk. Surprisingly, as the range dropped, the fatality
rate climbed. Patients who scored seven or higher on the BDI had
a 51 percent greater risk of death. Additionally, the correlation
between BDI scores and a greater risk of death didn't take into
account traditional stressors:
- Age
- Marital status
- Cardiac function
- The true cause of the cardiac problem
The great upside to these gloomy numbers: Researchers hope these
results will spur doctors to pay far closer attention to their patients'
psychological states, along with their physical conditions, and
perhaps integrate a simple psychological assessment tool like the
BDI into their practice.
Science
Blog March 9, 2005
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