United States: The gradual decline in the number of those suffering from heart failures noticed, and therefore their chance of living longer healthy lives improves; done so by taking control of their emotional problems, as well as their physical illnesses.
Findings of the latest study
According to the researchers of the latest study, curing anxiety and depression lowers Emergency Room (ER) visits and hospitalizations for those who have heart-related ailments.
The study findings are published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Dr. Philip Binkley, the lead researcher and executive vice chair of internal medicine at Ohio State University in Columbus, said that medications for
Psychotherapy, mood-controlling ones, or a combination of both “was associated with as much as a 75% reduction in hospitalizations or emergency room visits,” as US News reported.
Binkley also mentioned that anxiety and depression are more common in people dealing with heart failure, and moreover, mental health is likely to widen a person’s risk of other health problems.
He said, “Heart disease and anxiety/depression interact such that each promotes the other.”
How was the study conducted?
In order to conduct a study, the researchers examined more than 1,500 patients who were admitted to the hospital for blocked arteries or heart failure-related issues.
Out of them, more than 92 percent of the participants had been found to be suffering from anxiety and 56 percent from depression prior to their hospitalization.
The researchers mentioned that the patient’s age group ranged from
22 to 64 years of age and every one of them was covered under Medicaid.
More findings of the study
More than 23 percent of the patients had been receiving medication for depression and psychotherapy, while 15 percent had gotten psychotherapy alone, 29 percent took antidepressants alone, and about 33 percent had received no mental health-related treatments.
The researchers noted that, the induction of a combination of medication plus talk therapy have lowered the risk of hospitalization by 68 percent to 75 percent, the risk of Emergency room visit reduced by 67 percent to 74 percent, and moreover the early death risk reduced from 65 percent to 67 percent.
Moreover, as per the findings of the study, it was found that therapy alone lowered the risk of hospitalization by 46 to 49 percent, and Emergent Room visits were reduced by 48 to 53 percent, along with drugs alone effect reduced hospitalization by 47 to 58 percent, and lastly, ER visits reduced by 41 to 49 percent.
Binkley added that anxiety and depression combined contributed to heart-related disease by activating the fight-or-flight nervous system. It caused an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.
He made the conclusion by adding, “I hope the results of our study motivate cardiologists and health care professionals to screen routinely for depression and anxiety and demonstrate that collaborative care models are essential for the management of cardiovascular and mental health,” as US News reported.