Sad Hearts Make Sick Hearts Sicker.While many studies have shown that depressed cardiac patients are at higher risk of death than those who are not depressed, new research from Duke University demonstrates that some symptoms of depression are more dangerous than others. After following more than 1,200 cardiac patients for 19 years, people who displayed hopelessness or negative affect (defined as downheartedness down·heart·ed adj. Low in spirit; depressed. See Synonyms at depressed. down  heart , irritability irritability /ir·ri·ta·bil·i·ty/ (ir?i-tah-bil´i-te) the quality of being irritable.myotatic irritability the ability of a muscle to contract in response to stretching. , and restlessness) had a much higher risk of dying than those with other depressive de·pres·sive adj. 1. Tending to depress or lower. 2. Depressing; gloomy. 3. Of or relating to psychological depression. n. A person suffering from psychological depression. symptoms. Patients displaying negative affect were at a 40 percent higher risk of dying, and for patients under age 51 the risk rose to 70 percent. More than half of patients with feelings of hopelessness died during the study's follow-up period. The study points out the importance of strong, positive relationships with family and friends for cardiac patients as a way of reducing depression. (Psychosomatic Medicine psychosomatic medicine (sī'kōsōmăt`ĭk), study and treatment of those emotional disturbances that are manifested as physical disorders. ) |
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