Depression ups the risks of Heart Failure by 40 percent: Study

People suffering from depression have 40 percent increased chances of developing heart problems, according to a recent study.

Norwegian researchers used records of Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT study) involving nearly 6000 participants to identify the link between depression and heart failure. Experts recorded the BMI, physical activity levels, smoking habits and blood pressure of all participants and noted depression levels by using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. They also observed the number of deaths and hospitalization due to heart failure during the entire study period of 11 years.

About 1,500 people  developed heart failure during the trial period.

It was found that those who had mild symptoms of depression were 5 percent likely to suffer from heart failure than participants reporting no signs of depression. People whose depression signs ranged between moderate to severe had 40 percent increased risk of heart failure.

Lise Tuset Gustad, study author and Nurse at the Levanger Hospital in Norway, said in a press release, "Depression triggers stress hormones. If you're stressed you feel your pulse going up and your breath speeding up, which is the result of hormones being released. Those stress hormones also induce inflammation and atherosclerosis, which may accelerate heart diseases. Another mechanism could also be because depressed people find it more difficult to follow advice about how to take medications and improve their lifestyle."

However, their findings did not help build a direct association between heart failure and obesity or smoking habits.

The authors believe depression can make people inattentive toward their own health and wellbeing. Its symptoms often include total disinterest in routine activities. They urge people to incorporate healthy lifestyle habits like regular exercises, cutting down smoking and eating healthy nutritious food.

Gustad said, "Depression is disabling. It blocks people's ability to take their medications as prescribed, stop smoking, improve their diet or exercise more. Patients at all hospitals should be screened for depression to help them recover from existing illnesses, avoid developing new ones and have a more enjoyable life."

The research was presented at the annual meet of the European Society of Cardiology 2014 in Stavanger.