The Impact of Major Depressive Disorder on Heart Failure Patients: A Literature Review.

Abstract

Lydia Tadesse, Yonas Tamene*, Vivien Edi, Emeka Nwoke, Jeffrey Jacob, Beza Kurabachew Assefa and Dr. Tibebu Tefera

Cardiovascular diseases continue to pose a great threat to human beings worldwide. They are known to cause significant morbidity and mortality not just in one place, but throughout the world. The worst part about cardiovascular diseases is that if they are detected at an earlier stage, there is a lot that could be done to manage and intervene, and thus, prevent their complications. However, as the patient’s condition keeps on progressing, it might become very difficult for the physicians to work on it and reverse the damage already done. Among the various types of cardiovascular diseases that are prevalent in society today, heart failure is among the leading ones. Or, it could better be said that it is the end point of all other cardiovascular diseases that either do not respond to treatment or have progressed to a stage from which any sort of control or reversal of the symptoms might not be easy. Once heart failure is ensured, there is little that can be done to extend the lifeline of the patient or to improve their prognosis. However, with the recent advancements in the field of cardiology and technology, there is hope that exists for everyone. It is expected that with the better prognosis of newer drugs that are safer and more effective than the existing ones, people can easily enjoy the benefits of such drugs and be saved from the atrocities of cardiovascular diseases and their unwanted complications. However, this review deals with the psychological aspect of cardiovascular diseases. It is a well-established fact that with the existence of any disease in the human body, things tend to take a mental toll on the patient’s sanity and mode of living. Everything, be it intentionally or unintentionally, gets connected to the presence of illness, and people more often than not tend to react negatively to it. Depression, or major depressive disorder is one of the most prevalent psychological disorders that is diagnosed in people with heart failure, as per different studies. This review will reflect upon such studies and explore the various factors that are linked to the prevalence and development of depression in heart failure patients.

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