Depression in patients with myocardial infarction.

The role of depression in cardiovascular disease is increasingly emphasized. Whether it precedes or follows coronary events, it is an obstacle to adherence to preventive measures and physical recovery. Between January and November 2005, we interviewed 82 patients admitted to a central hospital, with a discharge diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (MI), and assessed them on a depression scale as outpatients. The characteristics of the sample were as expected in terms of known and revised risk factors. We also observed gender differences. We found moderate depression (significantly correlated with known psychosocial risk factors and depressive symptoms) in 36% of the subjects, and severe depression in 14% (positively and significantly associated with family conflict, anger-in, restlessness, type A personality, social isolation and sedentarism). The predictors of high scores on the scale were female gender, sedentarism, social isolation, sleep disturbances, family conflict, and low socioeconomic status.