Depression May Be A Risk Factor For Heart Disease In Men

(Depression as a risk factor for ischaemic heart disease in men: population based case-control study)

Depression increases the risk of increased morbidity and mortality after a heart attack, irrespective of whether patients have diabetes or hypertension, their level of deprivation or whether or not they smoke. In this week's BMJ, Julia Hippisley-Cox et al from Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham investigate whether depression occurs before the onset of ischaemic heart disease. They found that men who were depressed were three times more likely to develop ischaemic heart disease. This association did not seem to apply, however, to women.

Contact:

Julia Hippisley-Cox, Lecturer in General Practice, Department of General Practice, The Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham julia.h-cox@nottingham.ac.uk