Depression Key Consideration in Acute Coronary Syndrome

by -- Beth Gilbert
Updated: May 28th 2010

FRIDAY, May 28 (HealthDay News) -- Health care providers should address depressive symptoms in survivors of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), especially women, whose early recovery may differ from their male counterparts, according to a prospective longitudinal study published in the May issue of Applied Nursing Research.

Nah-Mee Shin, R.N., of the University of Michigan School of Nursing in Ann Arbor, and colleagues evaluated gender differences in the history of depression, depressive symptoms, and use of antidepressants in 100 patients hospitalized with ACS, and again a month after hospital discharge.

The researchers found no significant differences in depressive symptoms between males and females. However, significantly more females had a history of depressive symptoms and were prescribed and took antidepressants compared to their male counterparts. The researchers also concluded that depressive symptoms one month after hospital discharge could have been higher, as 18 nonrespondents had higher depressive symptoms before hospital discharge than the other study participants, and participants who were depressed were less likely to respond one month after hospital discharge.

"Because more women than men had a history of depression and taking antidepressants, clinicians and clinical researchers need to pay more attention to women whose early recovery experience might be different from men, leading to different outcome," the authors write.

The study was partly supported by a fund from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation.

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