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- Women Under 60 at Risk of Depression after Heart Attack!
- By:Sera Redmonds
According to a study in the April issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals, women of age 60 years or younger are more likely to suffer from depression during hospitalization for heart attack as compared to other patients.
Depressed heart attack patients are more likely to die of heart problems and have higher medical costs than heart attack patients who are not depressed. Depression is common in patients with cardiovascular disease, including acute myocardial infarction (heart attack). Susmita Mallik, M.D., M.P.H., Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, and colleagues assessed the prevalence of depression. The 814 women and 1,684 men were interviewed during their hospitalization and were asked how often they experienced the nine symptoms of depression. Researchers compiled an overall depression score between zero and 27 by adding up points for their answers, from zero for each symptom that bothered the patient "not at all" to three for each which affected them nearly “every day." Individuals with a score of 10 or higher were classified as depressed.
Patients were interviewed on an average of 2.9 days after they were admitted to the hospital and before the interview their medical records were thoroughly reviewed. 22 percent of all the participants were depressed and they either had poor health or had more associated illnesses or were more likely of getting heart problems and diabetes than those who were not. Women of age 60 years or younger were more depressed with younger women at highest risk than men and older patients. The occurrence of depression was 40 percent in women age 60 years or younger, 21 percent in women older than 60, 22 percent in men 60 or younger and 15 percent in men older than 60. In addition to this analysis, other factors were considered; the odds of depression were three times higher for women age 60 years and younger than for men older than age 60 years.
Researchers are yet to find out a proper reason as to why younger women are more susceptible to depression after heart attack. However the authors suggest that hormones and social pressures may contribute to their increased risk. They said that differential sex roles and exposure to social and environmental stressors, such as poverty, lower level of education, responsibilities both at work and home, single parenthood and caring for children and aging parents, could theoretically contribute to a higher predominance of depression in younger women, who may have greater exposure to these stressors compared with other groups.
If one thinks that depressed are supposed to live like that only, then it’s a myth. There are ways to overcome depression. Talk therapies like Psychotherapy and Relationship / Marriage Counseling, Building and Preserving Joy and Excitement in Adult Relationships, medicines for treating depression and anxiety, Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) ( used for individuals whose depression is severe or life-threatening or who cannot take antidepressant medication) and Lifestyle changes such as yoga and meditation, diet, aerobic exercise, improved sleep patterns, and spiritual or peer support.
There are a lot of ways open if one would like to come out of the jaws of depression and anxiety. The key to happiness are love for own self and hope till death. Come out and embrace all the possibilities of life that are in store for you.
About the author:
The author, Sera Redmonds, addresses mental health related issues. If you wish to seek help for psychological problems to help yourself or your loved ones or if you want to buy xanax online you can log on to http://www.xanax-effects.com for more information and advice.