Depression and 18-Month Prognosis After Myocardial Infarction

Depression while in the hospital after an MI is a significant predictor of 18-month post-MI cardiac mortality. Depression also significantly improves a risk-stratification model based on traditional post-MI risks, including previous MI, Killip class, and PVCs. Furthermore, the risk associated with depression is greatest among patients with > or = 10 PVCs per hour. This result is compatible with the literature suggesting an arrhythmic mechanism as the link between psychological factors and sudden cardiac death and underscores the importance of developing screening and treatment programs for post-MI depression.