Can ECP help against depression after heart attack ?
There are several factors that can lead to depression after heart attack. The stress of being in the hospital, the fear of another heart attack, time away from work can all contribute to feeling depressed, helpless, down and despondent.
Recent studies show that as many as 65% of people who have a heart attack report feeling depressed, down and despondent. A general state of despair. Moreover, women, people who have been depressed before, and people who feel alone and without social or emotional support are at a higher risk for feeling depressed after a heart attack. Two new Canadian studies have shown that More than twice as many women than men tend to fall into chronic depression after suffering a heart attack and are more likely to lead lives of poorer quality following their treatments.
So what exactly is depression ?
Clinical depression is medically defined as a persistently lowered mood or a general loss of interest that has been ongoing for at least two weeks representing a marked change from previous or 'normal' functioning. This differs from the 'blues' or 'miseries' that affect most of us at some point but pass more quickly and are less severe. Depressed people feel differently about themselves, their world and their future.
Depression, be it after a heart attack or not, is a medical illness, like diabetes or high blood pressure. The symptoms of depression may include some or all of the following:
• Feeling sad or crying often
• Losing interest in daily activities that used to be fun
• Changes in appetite and weight
• Sleeping too much or having trouble sleeping
• Feeling agitated, cranky or sluggish
• Loss of energy
• Feeling very guilty or worthless
• Problems concentrating or making decisions
• Thoughts of death or suicide
Can heart disease trigger depression or depression trigger heart disease ?
According to The American Academy of Family Physicians research has shown that people who are depressed and have pre-existing cardiovascular disease have a 3.5 times greater risk of dying of a heart attack than patients with heart disease who are not depressed. In a recent study, depression was shown to be associated with an increased risk of developing coronary heart disease in men and women. Depression was shown to increase mortality related to coronary heart disease in men but had no effect on mortality in women.
Depression and Death after Bypass
Depression significantly increases a person’s risk of dying in the years after undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), report researchers publishing in The Lancet.
According to the Duke University investigators, moderate to severe depression before surgery more than doubles the risk of dying within the first years after surgery. Mild depression before surgery also increases the risk, if the depression persists for at least six months following the operation.
Many studies have linked bypass surgery to depression. But little research exists on how depression may impact death rates in people who undergo the operation. These researchers followed 817 patients who had bypass surgery at Duke between 1989 and 2001. All the patients underwent standard tests to measure depression before having their operations and then again six months after the surgery. Follow up continued for up to 12 years.
After five years of follow up, researchers noted 122 deaths in the group. Among these, about 40 percent had been diagnosed with depression. One third of the patients had moderate to severe depression, while the rest had mild depression.
The authors conclude, “Many patients who undergo CABG are at increased risk of death because they are clinically depressed; this risk could be reduced by treatment of depression after surgery.” They call for additional studies to assess the effectiveness of depression treatments in reducing the death rate in patients who undergo bypass surgery. SOURCE: The Lancet, 2003;362:604-609
Is all the talk about Heart disease and depression true ?
Various studies in recent times have shown no relationship between depression and heart disease. An excellent explanation of these conflicting results is the difference in polyunsaturated fatty acid intake between the different groups. For instance, in one study conducted in Finland, lower serum cholesterol was associated with lower mortality due to accidents and violence in coastal, fish-eating residents, but not among inland residents. Coldwater fish are an excellent source of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids like docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Historically, post-evolutionary human beings consumed a diet that achieved a balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Today, however, the average individual consuming a Western diet is deficient in omega-3 fatty acids due to excessive intake of corn, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, and soybean oils rich in omega-6 fatty acids and decreased consumption of omega-3 rich foods such as salmon and tuna.
During human evolution, ratios of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids were approximately 1:1, but are now estimated to be between 10:1 to 25:1.
This is all Confusing but what really helps ?
The risk of relapses, be it of heart disease or depression, can be greatly reduced by living a healthy lifestyle, and your doctor will instruct you on this. However, some important lifestyle modifications are avoiding alcohol, illegal drugs, smoking, start a regular exercise program, eating a balanced diet, manage stress, join a club, meet new people or take courses in things that interest you, get enough rest and sleep.
Exercise increases the heart rate and increases the blood flow forcing it's way through out the body creating new pathways as a result oxygenating the body's every part.
We can live for weeks without food. We can even live for days without water. But we can only live for minutes without oxygen. Oxygen strengthens the heart. Increased oxygen lowers the resting heart rate and strengthens the contraction of the cardiac muscle. Virtually all heart attacks can be attributed to a failure to deliver oxygen to the heart muscle. Dr. Richard Lippman, renowned researcher states that a lack of oxygen (hypoxia) is the prime cause of 1.5 million heart attacks each year. Research studies show that mild hypoxia increases the heart and respiratory rates; however, prolonged or severe hypoxia results in lung or heart failure.
A brisk 30-minute walk or jog three times a week may be just as effective in relieving major depression as are standard antidepressant drugs, researchers have found.
In the study, 156 patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder were assigned to three groups: exercise, medication, or a combination of medication and exercise. To the surprise of the researchers, after 16 weeks all three groups showed similar--and significant--improvement in measurements of depression.
“One of the conclusions we can draw from this is that exercise may be just as effective as medication and may be a better alternative for certain patients,” said psychologist and study leader James Blumenthal. The team published the results of its research, supported by the National Institutes of Health, in the October 25, 1999, issue of The Archives of Internal Medicine.
These findings could change the way some depressed patients are treated, especially those who are not interested in taking antidepressants, although these medications have been proven to be effective, many people want to avoid the side effects or are looking for a more ‘natural’ way of feeling better. Which makes the world look at the External CounterPulsation (ECP) regime?
Is ECP External counterPulastion treatment for you ?
External CounterPulsation (ECP) procedure relieves angina and improves perfusion (blood flow to the heart) during stress in patients with coronary artery disease. The research was published in the April 1, 2002 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology. Doctors are uncertain exactly how External CounterPulsation (ECP) helps ease angina. The procedure may stimulate the growth of tiny blood vessels in the heart and help bypass blocked blood vessels. This would increase blood flow and oxygen to deprived areas of the heart. External CounterPulsation (ECP) may also improve the function of existing blood vessels.
Find the posibility of an ECP treatment regime for you. Everyday new findings are made on the benifits of ECP. Use a search function on this site and try to find if it could be suitable for you. You could also contact us for information, any of the doctors on pannel could answer your questions.
