Depression, related to atrial fibrillation

The new findings add more credibility to the notion that mental health and heart health are closely intertwined

Depression can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm disorder that can lead to the formation of thrombi and stroke, according to preliminary research presented at the Cardiometabolic Health and Lifestyle / Epidemiology and Prevention 2018 Scientific Sessions , organized by the American Heart Association.

Participants in the study who scored the highest on a clinical depression screening test, as well as those who took antidepressant medications, had more than a 30 percent increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation than people with normal scores and who did not take medication for depression.

The findings suggest an association between two very common disorders, a finding that calls for more research and greater awareness among doctors and patients, according to the researchers. The findings come from the National Multiethnic Atherosclerosis Study (MESA), which involved more than 6,600 people from diverse ethnic groups. The participants, with an average age of 62 years, did not have known heart disease at the beginning of the study and were followed for an average of 13 years.

Could antidepressant treatment reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation?

"Our findings identify a large portion of Americans who may be at increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation and who may benefit from more specific efforts to prevent this arrhythmia," says study senior investigator Parveen Garg, assistant professor of clinical medicine at Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States.

"If our findings are confirmed in future studies, especially those that formally assess clinical depression, then we will have to see if the treatment of depression can, in fact, reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation," he adds.

It is not known exactly how depression interrupts cardiac function, researchers say, but several possible mechanisms have been suggested. These include high levels of inflammation, as well as elevated levels of certain hormones that directly or indirectly interfere with the heart's ability to stay at a normal rhythm.

The new findings add further credibility to the notion that mental health and heart health are closely intertwined, underscoring previous research showing a relationship between depression and heart disease. "Doctors and patients should be aware that depression has been shown in several studies to be a risk factor for heart disease in general and, in this study, also for atrial fibrillation," says Garg. Dealing with depression is important for many reasons, including cardiovascular health. "

Atrial fibrillation occurs when the two upper chambers of the heart begin to shake chaotically, compromising their ability to propel the blood into the two lower chambers of the heart. When blood builds up in the upper chambers, it can lead to the formation of clots, which in turn can cause a stroke. Untreated atrial fibrillation doubles the risk of heart-related deaths and is associated with a five-fold increased risk of stroke.