Depression increases risk of stroke and heart diseases in the elderly

Researchers conducted face-to-face interviews with the participants when the study began, and checked them again three times — two years, four years and seven years after their initial interview. In addition, researchers tested the participants’ mental health status, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels and asked them questions about medical history and medications. In addition, the researchers determined whether or not the participants had symptoms of depression.

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At the beginning of the study, nearly 30 per cent of the women and 15 per cent of the men had high levels of depressive symptoms. During all study visits, fewer than 10 per cent of the participants were taking medications for depression.

The researchers discovered that adults (65-years-old and older) — who had high levels of depressive symptoms on one, two, three, or four occasions during the study — had 15 per cent, 32 per cent, 52 per cent and 75 per cent greater risk, respectively, for experiencing heart disease or stroke events over the 10 years of the study.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.