Warning: Stress and Depression Can Cause Fatal Diseases

Depression is a significant and major risk factor for fatal heart disease. Therefore, overcoming depression necessarily reduces the likelihood of heart attacks that lead to death or cause chronic health problems that last a person's entire life.

According to a report published by Psychology Today, reviewed by Al Arabiya.net, several studies have shown that individuals with depression have higher mortality rates from heart disease.

The Dangers of Stress and Depression

The report states that "depression is the most common mental illness, with a lifetime risk of developing it reaching 20% ​​in the general population. Researchers predict that depression will become one of the leading causes of disability worldwide by 2030. These two clinical conditions are closely related, and there is a direct link between heart disease and depression."

The American College of Cardiology reported that patients who develop depression after being diagnosed with heart disease have a double risk of death if left untreated. In addition, untreated depression is a risk factor for poor outcomes after cardiovascular surgery.

Although the prevalence of depression varies among patients with different types of heart disease, it affects approximately 15% of patients.

Heart Disease

The report states that depression increases the risk of heart disease through several pathways, most notably inflammation. A 2020 research review was conducted to understand the potential common pathway of inflammation that affects depression and cardiovascular disease.

Stress has been shown to be a major risk factor for depression. Furthermore, stress stimulates our bodies to secrete the hormone cortisol. People with depression experience persistent stress and elevated cortisol levels, which can, over time, overwhelm the immune system, reducing its effectiveness. Ultimately, immune cells become insensitive to the regulatory effects of cortisol, causing chronic inflammation and increased susceptibility to disease, including heart disease.

Scientists also point out that cortisol causes blood vessels to constrict, which means reduced blood flow to vital organs and increased blood pressure. Furthermore, prolonged constriction can damage the lining of blood vessels, leading to plaque buildup, a major contributing factor to heart disease.

The Impact of Lifestyle

The report also indicates that lifestyle plays an important role. The journal Nature published the results of a lifestyle study examining the relationship between depression and the risk of cardiovascular disease in a sample of British patients. In this study, people with high levels of depression who avoided nicotine, maintained a healthy weight, exercised regularly, and slept well were able to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease.

The report states, "Depression is a brain disorder. When you are depressed, a part of your brain responsible for higher levels of functioning, called executive functioning, does not function as efficiently."

But the Psychology Today report confirms that "the good news is that depression is highly treatable. The Journal of the American Heart Association published its findings on psychological interventions for depressed patients with heart disease. Researchers reviewed several large clinical trials and found that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most effective and safe medications for treating depression in heart patients."