Is major depression an independent risk factor for mortality at 6 months in patients hospitalized following an MI?
Major depression following myocardial infarction is a significant independent risk factor for 6-month mortality, comparable in impact to traditional cardiac risk factors like left ventricular dysfunction.
Major depression in patients hospitalized following an MI is an independent risk factor for mortality at 6 months. Its impact is at least equivalent to that of left ventricular dysfunction (Killip class) and history of previous MI. Additional study is needed to determine whether treatment of depression can influence post-MI survival and to assess possible underlying mechanisms.
Nancy Frasure‐Smith (Wed,) studied this question.