Anxiety, depression and their correlates among patients with acute heart failure in South Western, Nigeria

Introduction: Psychological distress in heart failure has been relatively neglected by researchers and practitioners, and early detection and treatment may improve the prognosis and patient's quality of life. This study sought to assess psychological distress exemplified by depression and anxiety among acute heart failure (AHF) patients seen at a large teaching hospital in South West Nigeria. Method: The study was a cross-sectional study of 153 consecutively admitted AHF patients who completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7-item questionnaires. The report of this article adhere to the STROBE reporting guideline. Data was analysed using standard statistical methods. Results: A total of 153 participants with AHF completed the study. The mean age±SD of participants was 57.7±15.0years. The prevalence of depression of any severity was 26.8% while that of anxiety was 9.2%. History of alcohol intake, male gender, and higher score of anxiety were independently associated with depression while the presence of higher depressive scores was the sole independent factor associated with anxiety. Conclusion: Psychological distress is present in AHF patients, so clinicians must evaluate these problems early in all such patients, address their specific needs, and intervene through a team approach when necessary.