La depresión mayor como nuevo factor de riesgo en la cardiopatía coronaria en Chile

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Major depression, a frequent psychiatric disease, is associated with ischemic heart disease. It is usually subdiagnosed and subtreated. To study the prevalence of major depression among survivors of an acute myocardial infarction. Retrospective study of 42 survivors of an acute myocardial infarction treated at a regional Chilean Hospital. The presence of major depression in the 6 months previous to the acute myocardial infarction, was investigated using the diagnostic instruments CIDI (Composite International Diagnostic Interview) and DIS (Diagnostic Interview Schedule), psychiatric diagnoses were based on DSMIII-R. The prevalence of depression was compared with that observed in a group of 156 healthy subjects participating in a psychiatric epidemiological study. Major depression was diagnosed in 12 male subjects with an acute myocardial infarction. The prevalence in the control group was significantly lower (15%, p < 0.049). Patients with depression were older and required longer hospital stay than patients without depression. Patients with acute myocardial infarction, had a significantly greater prevalence of major depression in the previous 6 months, than the general population. Thus, major depression could be an independent and modifiable coronary risk factor.