The Impact of Post-Myocardial Infarction (MI) Depression on Cardiovascular-Related Hospitalizations

• Published in: Current problems in cardiology Vol. 49; no. 1; p. 102070
• Main Authors: Henderson, Chloe, Gillard, Christopher, Wheeler, Janel Bailey, Maestri, Thomas, Smith, Candice, Olet, Susan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 01.01.2024
• Subjects: Depression - diagnosis; Depression - epidemiology; Depression - etiology; Hospitalization; Humans; Incidence; Myocardial Infarction - complications; Myocardial Infarction - diagnosis; Myocardial Infarction - epidemiology; Retrospective Studies
• ISSN: 0146-2806; 1535-6280
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2023.102070

Routine depression screening and subsequent treatment in post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients may lead to improved cardiac outcomes. However, screening for depression is not a standard of post-MI care. Though the American Heart Association (AHA) published an advisory recommending routine depression screening in post-MI patients, there is conflicting evidence on the benefit that routine depression screening has on cardiovascular outcomes. The purpose of this study is to compare the occurrence of cardiovascular-related readmissions in post-MI patients diagnosed with depression versus post-MI patients not diagnosed with depression. This retrospective cohort study analyzed the incidence of cardiovascular-related readmissions and mortality in adult post-MI patients diagnosed with depression within 1 year compared to those not diagnosed with depression within a year. Those diagnosed with depression were more likely to experience a subsequent cardiovascular-related hospitalization within 2 years of MI than those not diagnosed with depression (52.6% vs 28.7%; odds ratio [OR], 3.19; 95% CI 2.33-4.38). There was no difference between groups in the incidence of in-hospital mortality.