Anxiety, depression, and stress increase the risk of adverse cardiac events in patients with cardiovascular disease and should be treated as concomitant risk factors.
Anxiety, depression, and stress are exceedingly common in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). They increase the risk of cardiac events and are associated with much worse outcomes. A causal relationships exists between anxiety/depression and adverse cardiac events such as acute myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death. Various treatments, including psychologic therapies and pharmacotherapy, can used to treat patients with these disorders. This review discusses the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatment options for patients with CVD who suffer from these conditions and argues that they should be treated as concomitant risk factors for CVD.
Silverman et al. (Tue,) conducted a review in Cardiovascular disease with anxiety, depression, or stress. Psychologic therapies and pharmacotherapy was evaluated. Anxiety, depression, and stress increase the risk of adverse cardiac events in patients with cardiovascular disease and should be treated as concomitant risk factors.