Mood disorders impaired quality of life but not the mortality or morbidity risk in stable coronary heart disease patients

Background: It was suggested that depression and anxiety might be associated with increased cardiovascular risk in both primary and secondary prevention. In stable coronary heart disease (CHD) patients, we aimed to assess prevalence of depression and anxiety, its relations to conventional risk profile and mortality or morbidity and to quality of life (QoL).Methods: We examined 969 patients, at least 6 months after myocardial infarction or coronary revascularisation. Depression or anxiety was assessed using a standard HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), while QoL by SF-36 (Short-Form-36 Questions) questionnaires. Follow-up was done to assess mortality in incidence of non-fatal cardiovascular event.Results: Both mood disorders were rather frequent; borderline depression or anxiety (HADS score 8–10) had 14.8 or 10.9% of patients, respectively; moderate-to-severe depression or anxiety (HADS score ≥11) had another 8.2 or 6.7% of patients. After adjustment for potential covariates impaired QoL (SF-36 score <40) was independently associated with depressive mood [odds ratio (OR) 6.08 (95%CI: 2.92–12.7) or anxiety [OR 8.66 (95%CI: 3.77–19.89)], as well as with combination of both disorders [OR 33.58 (95%CI: 15.5–72.6)]. Conventional risk characteristics remained virtually unrelated to mood disorders (with exception of angina pectoris). We found significantly higher incidence of major cardiovascular events in patients with anxious mood and marginally significant inferior survival in patients with depression, but any cardiovascular risk disappeared if adjusted for potential covariates (conventional risk factors, natriuretic peptides, angina pectoris.)Conclusions: Mood disorders severely affected QoL of stable CHD patients, but not their global cardiovascular risk.