Depression, cardiac mortality and all-cause mortality

Abstract

SUMMARYDepression is an illness that kills. The links between depression and medical illness are well established and bi-directional, but evidence is mounting that depression increases mortality as well as morbidity in adults, particularly older adults. We examine the evidence that the increase in mortality in depression applies to all-cause mortality as well as cardiac mortality, and describe plausible physiological theories for the association. We conclude that excess mortality arising from depression is a major public health problem that is largely unrecognised and needs to be addressed by a range of clinicians.

The clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of low-intensity psychological interventions for the secondary prevention of relapse after depression: a systematic review.

“…77 In the UK, the recommended outcome measure is the QALY, which takes into account both quantity of life and HRQoL. 81 Although depression has been shown to affect mortality, 94 it also has a major impact on QoL; it is therefore important to consider by what process an intervention may affect QoL.…”

Factors Influencing Risk of Premature Mortality in Community Cases of Depression: A Meta-Analytic Review

“…First, depression and physical disorders co-occur and frequently complicate each other [39]. Co-occurring disorders may mask the presence of depression, and depression in combination with physical disorders results in poorer health outcomes [26,39]. Data from the recent World Mental Health Survey show that individuals are more likely to seek treatment for physical disorders than for mental disorders [14].…”

“…First, depression and physical disorders co-occur and frequently complicate each other [39]. Co-occurring disorders may mask the presence of depression, and depression in combination with physical disorders results in poorer health outcomes [26,39].…”

“…Records excluded after abstract/title search (premorbid sample, clinical trial, inpatient sample) (n = 3.025) 1 Not community cases = study featured clinical samples or members of a treatment group only 2 Risk estimate not reported = reported number of exposed who died but not the denominator therefore not allowing mortality rate to be calculated, or did not report deaths in controls 1 Not clinically defined depression = study used a scale not validated against dsm or icd criteria therefore reports on depressive symptomatology only Not community cases (86) individuals with multiple health problems are not receiving appropriate treatment for a comorbid mental disorder [39]. Underdiagnosis is a concern as depression has been associated with poorer health outcomes including higher fatality rates in those with coronary heart disease [73,74], cancer [75], and stroke [71].…”

Psychogenic Carcinogenesis

“…A vivid example of "self-destruction dominant" is a known phenomenon "voodoo death" or psychogenic death (Lester, 2009) which was studied by us in oncological practice (Bukhtoyarov & Arkhangelsky, 2006). Psychological capitulation on a background of depression results in suicides precedes and accelerates approach of death of the patients with diseases of heart (Surtees et al, 2008;Seymour & Benning, 2009), cancer patients (Lloyd-Williams et al, 2009;Rodin et al, 2009) and patients with other diseases (Grossardt et al, 2009). By the way, self-liquidating behavior of some fans, sectarians or suicide attacker also is caused by "self-destruction dominant" arisen under influence of the external unfavorable mainly suggestive factors.…”