There is mounting evidence that major depression in older adults can lead to heart ailments. Depression often occurs with other medical illnesses and disabilities and lasts longer, but whether its symptoms are risk factors for heart ailments was unclear until recently. A latest study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in February 2016, says adults aged 65 or older who suffer from major depression are at a greater risk of developing heart disease or stroke events.
The researchers enrolled 7,313 older adults, with none of the participants having a history of heart disease, stroke or dementia at the start of the study. After a series of face-to-face interviews, the participants were thoroughly examined at the end of two years, four years and seven years. They were also assessed on various other parameters, such as mental health status, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, etc., to determine whether they had any medical history, including depression, or took any medications.
Nearly 23 percent of all participants in total, including 30 percent of the women and 15 percent of the men, were diagnosed with high levels of depressive symptoms. Surprisingly, about 40 percent of people with severe depression recovered, and at the same time an equal number of people also developed new symptoms at each follow-up visit.
It was concluded that adults aged 65 and older who suffered major depression on one, two, three or four occasions during the study had 15 percent, 32 percent, 52 percent and 75 percent higher risk respectively of developing heart disease. According to the researchers, depressive symptoms present a risk for heart disease and higher mortality rate among healthy older adults. As the study has established a link between depression and heart disease, researchers advise doctors to pay close attention to symptoms of depression in older adults under care.
Depression in older adults a major concern
Depression in older adults is an important public health problem because it doubles the risk of cardiac diseases and increases chances of death from the illness. As common depressive symptoms, such as slowing down or restlessness, neglect of responsibilities and withdrawing from family and friends, are incorrectly attributed to old age problems, depression in older adults remains underdiagnosed and inadequately treated. Depression, worry and anxiety can affect the memory in old age, giving rise to negative emotions, such as sadness, anxiety and lowered self-esteem.
According to a 2015 report by the World Health Organization (WHO), between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world's population over 60 years will nearly double, from 12 percent to 22 percent. Neuropsychiatric disorders among the older adults account for 6.6 percent of the total disability-adjusted life year (DALY) for this age group, which means nearly 15 percent of adults aged 60 and more suffer from a mental disorder.
Making help available
Regardless of its cause, depression needs to be properly treated in older adults as they may start to blame themselves for things that they are not responsible for. Not paying much attention to their depressive behavior may lead to other serious functional and physical problems.
It is imperative to take depression seriously as it can be very damaging if left untreated. Do not wait for symptoms to grow to a level wherein the patient loses all hope to recover. Approach a good depression treatment clinic in Colorado for help for yourself or anyone you know dealing with depression. The Depression Treatment Helpline Colorado is here to make sure that those seeking treatment for mental illnesses such as depression and any other related disorders get the help they need at a good depression treatment clinic Colorado. Please call us at 866-427-5668 if you'd like to speak further.
Source : articlesbase.com
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