COVID-19 Pandemic Anxiety, Therefore Increased Risk of Heart Disease: Study

Jennifer Ferreira, Producer of CTV News.ca

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Toronto, OntarioCTV network) — A significant number of patients report exacerbated depression symptoms throughout the pandemic, and a new study shows that they are at increased risk of heart disease.

The study, conducted by researchers at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, enrolled 4,633 patients who completed screening for depression before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Approximately 40% of patients say they have experienced new or persistent symptoms of depression throughout the first year of the pandemic.

Newsletter Registration: Sending COVID-19 Briefs to Your Inbox “These findings are important,” said Heidi T. May, a cardiovascular epidemiologist and principal investigator at the Intermountain Healthcare Heart Institute, in a press release. I am. “Looking at the first year of the pandemic, we already see the impact on the patient’s mental health.”

Patients were divided into two groups: those who were depressed or no longer depressed, and those who became depressed or remained depressed. Researchers found that among depressed patients, the screening score for depression during a pandemic was higher than before. Pre-pandemic scores were recorded from March 1, 2019 to February 29, 2020, and screenings conducted during the pandemic were conducted from March 1, 2020 to April 20, 2021.

The findings from the study were shared at the American Heart Association’s Virtual Science session on Saturday.

This study shows that the COVID-19 pandemic has a negative impact on physical as well as mental health.

Researchers have found that depression is associated with increased visits to emergency rooms for the treatment of anxiety. Patients with depression were 2.8 times more likely to visit the ER due to anxiety than patients without depression. Patients with depression were 1.8 times more likely to visit the ER due to anxiety while experiencing chest pain than those without depression.

Scientific evidence shows that there is a strong link between depression and heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, patients experiencing long-term depression, anxiety, and stress may experience increased heart rate and blood pressure, decreased blood flow to the heart, and increased levels of cortisol. There is sex. Ultimately, these physiological effects can cause calcium to build up in the arteries and cause heart disease.

A recent study published in the journal JAMAPsychiatry found that people suffering from four or more depressive symptoms were 20% more likely to experience cardiovascular disease or death. The global survey was attended by more than 140,000 middle-aged participants in 21 countries. Heart disease is considered the leading cause of death in Canadian men and women.

“We know that [depression] It is a powerful risk factor for cardiovascular disease. And if people are more depressed because of a pandemic, the incidence of cardiovascular disease can be higher within a few years, “May said in a press release.

Not only does she point this out as a concern, she says, it shows an urgent need to screen patients early and provide the tools they need.

“Clinicians need to be keenly aware of a patient’s mental health, deal with it immediately and treat it, improve the overall quality of life and avoid future health problems,” May said. Said in a press release. .. “This is very important because the pandemic isn’t over yet.”

She also states that more time is needed to determine the potential long-term effects of a pandemic on mental health.

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