Key result
Depression is linked to a ~45% higher risk of cardiovascular mortality.
Why the study?
Depression is associated with increased mortality, but underlying causes remain unclear, prompting an evaluation of cardiovascular mortality and how antidepressant treatments and comorbidities modify this risk.
Does depression increase cardiovascular mortality, and does antidepressant treatment modify this risk in adults?
Meta-Analysis (n=1,593,722)
Does depression increase cardiovascular mortality, and does antidepressant treatment modify this risk in adults?
Hazard Ratio: 1.45 (95% CI 1.25–1.69)
Depression is independently associated with a 45% increased risk of cardiovascular mortality, and while most antidepressants do not appear to modify this risk, tricyclic antidepressants may increase it.
May warrant preferring non-TCA antidepressants; leaves open whether treating depression itself lowers CV mortality.
Background: Depression is associated with increased mortality, with underlying causes unclear. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of cardiovascular (CV) mortality in depression and how antidepressant treatments and comorbidities modify this. Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane registers (inception to 31 December 2024) for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies comparing CV mortality in adults with depression vs without, and receiving antidepressants vs controls. We excluded studies with <12 months follow-up, reporting only all-cause mortality or lacking control groups. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted with CV mortality as the primary outcome. Risk of bias was assessed with RoB 2 and ROBINS-I. PROSPERO: CRD42020200812. Results: We included 7 RCTs and 47 cohort studies (1,593,722 people). In multivariable-adjusted cohorts ( k = 26), depression was associated with a significantly higher CV mortality versus no-depression (hazard ratio (HR): 1.45, 95% CI: 1.25–1.69). Effects were similar in non-selected community-dwelling cohorts and those with CV disease or type 2 diabetes. Antidepressants overall were associated with increased CV mortality in cohorts but after adjustment only tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) had significantly increased risk vs no antidepressant ( k = 4; HR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.02–1.58). RCT findings were directionally consistent but underpowered. Conclusions: Depression is associated with increased risk of CV mortality irrespective of comorbid group studied. Antidepressants do not appear to modify this risk, apart from TCAs, which may increase it. The antidepressant models in particular had high heterogeneity, reflecting a knowledge gap on the long-term effects of antidepressants in patients with depression on CV mortality.
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Hall et al. (2026) conducted a meta-analysis in Depression (n=1,593,722). Depression vs. No depression was evaluated on Cardiovascular mortality (HR 1.45, 95% CI 1.25-1.69). Depression was associated with a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular mortality compared to no depression in multivariable-adjusted cohorts (HR 1.45).
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