Published on: June 20, 2012
by Huffington Post:
Depression, anxiety and problems sleeping are linked with an increased risk of dying from stroke, a new study suggests.
Researchers from University College London found that people who had these conditions of psychological distress were more likely to die from a stroke or ischemic heart disease.
The study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, included 68,652 people who had an average age of 54.9. Nearly all the study participants were white, and slightly fewer than half were male. None of them had any sort of cardiovascular disease at the beginning of the study.
Researchers measured the psychological distress of the study participants with the General Health Questionnaire; they found that 14.7 percent of them had some sort of psychological distress.
After an 8.1-year period, 2,367 people died of cardiovascular disease — 1,010 died particularly from ischemic heart disease, 562 died from stroke, and 795 died from another heart-related reason.
Last year, a similar study in the journal Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association showed a link between depression and stroke. That study, which included more than 80,000 women, showed that having had depression is linked with a 29 percent higher risk of having a stroke, BBC News reported.
“Regardless of the mechanism, recognizing that depressed individuals may be at a higher risk of stroke may help the physician focus on not only treating the depression, but treating stroke risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes and elevated cholesterol, as well as addressing lifestyle behaviors such as smoking and exercise,” study researcher Dr. An Pan, of the Harvard School of Public Health, told BBC News.
And just this month, a study presented at the SLEEP 2012 conference showed that middle- to older-aged people who regularly get fewer than six hours of sleep a night have an increased risk of stroke, even if they don’t have a history of stroke, aren’t overweight and don’t have an increased risk for obstructive sleep apnea.
Source: http://huff.to/N8PYDs
The depression-dementia relationship is complex and similar symptoms can make it difficult to tell the difference between depression and dementia. Adding to the complexity is the reality that women and men differ when it comes to depression. But there is...
Staying socially connected is extremely important for our overall health, including our brain health. A 2019 review article published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that various aspects of social isolation, including low levels...
Although it’s great to celebrate the big achievements, it’s also important to celebrate the small wins.
The material presented through the Think Tank feature on this website is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. WBHI strongly advises all questioners and viewers using this feature with health problems to consult a qualified physician, especially before starting any treatment. The materials provided on this website cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment. The materials are not exhaustive and cannot always respect all the most recent research in all areas of medicine.
