Heart and Mind

New research has uncovered an interesting link between the heart
and mind: Men who undergo coronary bypass surgery and subsequently suffer
from depression a month later are at greater risk of experiencing
additional cardiac problems such as angina five years later. The study,
published in the latest issue of
Psychosomatics, also suggests that women have chest
pains similar to angina regardless of whether or not they are
experiencing depression.

The study followed 172 people who underwent heart surgery after
first being accessed for symptoms and levels of depression. Researchers
drew their conclusions based on subject interviews conducted one month,
one year and then five years after their surgery. Their findings suggest
that people scheduled for heart surgery should first be evaluated for
depression and treated if necessary.