[Depression in patients with cardiovascular disease].

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease and depression, which is frequently encountered in developed countries, are unexpectedly linked and someway interdependent. Although it has been proven that major depression is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, it is also true that cardiovascular disease may often cause depression. This article provides epidemiological data regarding this phenomenon and focuses on the mechanisms and causes that link these apparently unrelated pathologies. The diagnosis of depression and the difficulty in recognizing it as such are reviewed and several tests useful for this purpose are presented. Finally, the most common antidepressants particularly suitable for cardiac patients are examined along with any possible interactions between these drugs and those currently used for treatment of cardiovascular disease.