The Roving Reporter : The Heart Attack and Depression Link

 By Jennifer J. Brown, PhD

Almost nowhere is the mind-body connection more apparent than in the link between depression and heart attack.

Heart-Attack-Depression-Image-1Mental health and heart health are intimately connected when it comes to your heart. Heart disease is consistently the No.1 killer in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Each year, about 715,000 Americans have a heart attack. And 190,000 of these are repeat heart attacks. Those who have heart attacks are more likely to become depressed, and people with depression have higher rates of heart attacks.

Current Depression and Heart Attack

Heart-Attack-Depression-Image-2One in 10 American adults surveyed by Gallup said they currently have depression or are on depression treatment. Whether or not they have had a heart attack dramatically increased their depression risk:

8 percent is the current depression rate for people who have never had a heart attack.
17 percent is the rate for people who have had a heart attack.
Heart Attack and Lifetime Depression Risk

Heart-Attack-Depression

Almost one in five U.S. adults surveyed said they had been diagnosed with depression at some point. Lifelong rates of depression rose much higher for those who had experienced a heart attack:

The Roving Reporter