According to the researchers, disorders involving depression very often coexist with a number of dangerous diseases of the heart, blood vessels and metabolic system. The results of their study were published in the Russian Journal of Cardiology.
Depression and anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses, which, according to experts, seriously affect the quality of life and contribute to an increase in disability on a par with somatic illnesses. According to WHO experts, nearly 50 percent of the world's population has experienced signs of a neuropsychiatric disorder at least once in their life.
A team of specialists at the Tyumen State Medical University (TyumSMU) has discovered a correlation between these psychological disorders and such physical problems as metabolic syndrome, elevated cholesterol levels, and worsening symptoms of arterial hypertension in women.
"Metabolic syndrome is characterized by impaired fat and carbohydrate metabolism and a dramatic increase in body weight, and poor control of arterial hypertension makes it difficult to control its acute manifestations. Patients with depression are more likely to have high blood pressure, elevated lipid levels, and obesity," said Alexei Efanov, a professor in the Department of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery at Tyumen State Medical University.
The researchers explained that the relationship they have identified indicates the usefulness of including tests for depression in the screening plan for patients with hypertension.
"We have not observed this correlation in men, so we see a clear gender component in the relationship between depressive disorders and metabolic disorders, which should certainly be taken into account in clinical practice," Efanov said.
Hypertension and elevated cholesterol levels are found in patients with both visible and hidden levels of psychological distress, the study found. Hypertensive patients without depressive symptoms were significantly less likely to have difficulty normalizing their blood pressure with medication, the researchers reported.
According to the researchers, women had a statistically higher incidence of obesity, as well as clinical and elevated levels of depression. Those without signs of depression were statistically significantly younger, more likely to be better educated and to live in rural areas.
More research into psychological disorders in patients with arterial hypertension, their timely detection and correction will reduce the risk of their developing and mortality from cardiovascular disease, the experts believe.
The study looked at 1,658 people aged between 25 and 64 living in Tyumen and the Tyumen region, the researchers said. Epidemiologic research methods, tonometry, depression assessment with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and blood laboratory assessment were used.
The next challenge for the scientific team is to expand the study and assess the impact of depression on cardiovascular health over a longer period of time.
Tyumen State Medical University is a member of the "Priority 2030" program of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation to support universities.