Depression, women and heart disease.  I have written about this so many times in the past. Our emotional and physical self all works as one. Never be too proud to admit when it is time to seek help for depression.

Symptoms of depression include:

• Loss of interest in normal daily activities
• Feeling sad or down
• Feeling hopeless
• Crying spells for no apparent reason
• Problems sleeping
• Trouble focusing or concentrating
• Difficulty making decisions
• Unintentional weight gain or loss
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Being easily annoyed
• Feeling fatigued or weak
• Feeling worthless
• Loss of interest in sex

Learning to control our emotions as women will help our heart health and decrease our risk of heart disease.

Post from: Blisstree

Depression and the increased risk of heart disease in women

“There is good evidence that if a person has depression after a heart attack, they are more likely to die from cardiac causes in the following months and years,” said lead author Jeff Huffman, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

Aside from obvious life altering changes in diet and exercise-  mental health needs to be addressed as well. These findings would also suggest that physicians and clinicians also need to keep a close eye on persons with heart disease or risk factors.

via Science Daily

Post from: Blisstree

Depression increases risk of complications post heart attack

Increased risk of heart disease due to depression is right on the mark and is a vicious cycle indeed. Depression medications lead to weight gain, food cravings and feelings of lethargy. Feelings of lethargy lead to a sedentary and less than “healthy” lifestyle. And a round and around we go!

How do we break the cycle? The more depressed one is the higher the chance of being a smoker, less physical activity and more calories are consumed on a daily basis.

And if depression is not enough, here comes the link between anxiety and heart disease- this is very tongue in cheek. Anxiety increases your heart attack risk by 30-40%… but don’t worry over it!

The role of anxiety in hiking heart attack risk also goes beyond the effects of depression, anger, hostility, Type A behavior and other negative emotions. “These psychological factors are important in predicting the risk of heart disease, but anxiety is unique,” Dr. Shen said. “Older men with sustained and pervasive anxiety appear to be at increased risk for a heart attack even after their levels of depression, anger, hostility and Type A behavior are considered.”

Do you are feel sad or know someone that is depressed after their MI, reach out and ask if they want to talk, or open up yourself. There is nothing weak, or crazy about depression, especially after a life changing event such as this. Do you agree?

A study by the University of Alberta and McGill University found that 14.3 percent of women had worsening depression one year after their initial myocardial infarctions. Eleven percent of men studied had a similar experience.

Our emotional wellbeing is just as important as our physical self. We need to remember to connect with others and reach out to deal with all of our feelings and fears. It is so important!

Post from: Blisstree

Theme Day all about mental illness- Heart disease and depression/anxiety: it is directly related

One of the most striking findings was that women were twice as likely as men to have “normal” or “mild” results on an exam of their heart’s blood vessels, with no single blockage taking up more than 50 percent of any one blood vessel. This was despite the fact that their other test results showed they were definitely having a heart attack, or a form of chest pain called unstable angina.

After six months of their heart attack or angina, women were more likely to have died then men with the same advanced coronary disease.  Women were also less likely  than men to receive drugs called beta blockers, statins and ACE inhibitors, which are considered crucial to preventing further heart episodes. And no matter how serious their blockages, women were less likely to receive an angioplasty or a stent to open up their blood vessels.

via Science Daily 

Post from: Blisstree

Failure to recognize symptoms and treat heart attacks among women