Psychotherapy's Hidden Bonus: Healthier Hearts
MONDAY, April 24, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Treating depression with talk therapy may provide protection against heart disease, new research suggests.
As depression lifts, people may begin to engage more in healthy eating and exercise, investigators believe.
In a study of nearly 637,000 people who took part in talk therapy offered by the United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS) between 2012 and 2020, those whose depression symptoms improved were 12% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, stroke and death, researchers found.
"It is the first time that such a link is established; however, it is important to note that our study does not prove a causal effect, namely that the lower likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease is caused by the psychological therapy," said lead author Celine El Baou, a research assistant at the Dementia Research Center of University College London.
More research is needed to understand these findings better and the mechanisms involved, which could be biological or linked to lifestyle behaviors, she said.
Globally, cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and heart disease are the No. 1 cause of death, claiming 18.6 million people worldwide in 2019, according to the study.
"The study suggests that talking therapies for depression may also help in reducing the future risk of cardiovascular disease," El Baou said. "So it is important that therapies are made as effective and accessible as possible."
Talking Therapies is a program to treat anxiety and depression offered by the NHS. It takes aim at mental health problems that affect an estimated 1 in 4 adults every year. According to the NHS, mental health problems are the largest single cause of disability in the U.K.
The program is free and offers cognitive behavioral therapy, counseling and guided self-help.
Depressive symptoms were measured using a questionnaire that considers such factors as sleep issues, lack of interest in doing things and low mood. These findings were then linked to patients' health care records to look for heart events.
The new study also uncovered a link between age and benefit from talk therapy.
People under age 60 whose depression eased after talk therapy had a 15% lower risk of heart disease and a 22% lower risk of premature death from all causes, the study found.
Patients over 60 saw a smaller benefit. Their risk for heart disease dropped 5% and they had a 14% lower risk of early death from other causes.
Dr. Scott Krakower, a psychiatrist at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, N.Y., reviewed the findings.
"We've known that having depression is a potential risk factor for and possible worsening of cardiovascular disease," he said.
In Krakower's view, the best treatments for depression combine medication and talk therapy.
"Therapy is important because you have targeted symptoms, and you have a one-on-one meeting where you can express yourself and work through things that sometimes the medication won't do," he said.
"We do also recognize that medication is a mainstream treatment for depression -- the idea that you have formed a relationship with someone you can open up to is something you can't do with a pill," Krakower added.
Treating depression can spur lifestyle improvements that benefit overall health, he said.
For example, a more positive attitude can lead to eating healthier and exercising, which can improve overall and heart health in particular.
"If you're feeling anxious or increasingly depressed, you should definitely seek out treatment," Krakower said. "It'll open doors. You'll have a better understanding of yourself and you will be more likely to open up and be more receptive to changing your lifestyle."
The study was published online April 18 in the European Heart Journal.
For more on depression and heart disease, see the American Heart Association.
SOURCES: Celine El Baou, MSc, research assistant, Dementia Research Center, University College London, U.K.; Scott Krakower, DO, psychiatrist, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, N.Y.; European Heart Journal, April 18, 2023, online
Ugonjwa wa moyo wa kawaida ni hatari sana kwa afya ya moyo Jumatatu, Aprili 24, 2023 (HealthDay News) - Kutibu unyogovu na matibabu ya mazungumzo inaweza kutoa ulinzi dhidi ya ugonjwa wa moyo, utafiti mpya unaonyesha. Watafiti wanaamini kwamba kadiri mshuko wa moyo unavyozidi kupungua, ndivyo watu wanavyoanza kula vyakula vyenye afya na kufanya mazoezi. Katika utafiti uliofanywa kwa watu karibu 637,000 ambao walishiriki katika matibabu ya mazungumzo yaliyotolewa na Huduma ya Kitaifa ya Afya (NHS) ya Uingereza kati ya 2012 na 2020, wale ambao dalili za unyogovu ziliboreshwa walikuwa na uwezekano mdogo wa 12% wa kuendeleza ugonjwa wa moyo, ikiwa ni pamoja na ugonjwa wa moyo wa coronary, kiharusi na kifo. "Hii ni mara ya kwanza kwamba uhusiano kama huo umeanzishwa, hata hivyo, ni muhimu kutambua kwamba utafiti wetu hauthibitisha athari ya kisababishi, yaani kwamba uwezekano mdogo wa kuendeleza ugonjwa wa moyo unasababishwa na matibabu ya kisaikolojia, ""alisema mwandishi mkuu Celine Elbaou, msaidizi wa utafiti katika Kituo cha Utafiti wa Dementia cha Chuo Kikuu cha London." Utafiti zaidi unahitajika kuelewa matokeo haya vizuri na taratibu zinazohusika, ambazo zinaweza kuwa za kibiolojia au zinazohusiana na tabia za mtindo wa maisha. Kwa ujumla, magonjwa ya moyo na mishipa ya damu kama vile kiharusi na magonjwa ya moyo ni No. Ugonjwa huo ulisababisha vifo vya watu milioni 18.6 duniani kote mwaka 2019, kulingana na utafiti huo. "Utafiti huo unaonyesha kwamba matibabu ya kuzungumza kwa ajili ya mshuko wa moyo yanaweza pia kusaidia kupunguza hatari ya ugonjwa wa moyo na mishipa ya damu katika siku zijazo", El Baou alisema. "Kwa hiyo ni muhimu kwamba tiba zifanywe kuwa zenye matokeo na zinazopatikana kwa urahisi kadiri iwezekanavyo". Matibabu ya Kuzungumza ni mpango wa kutibu wasiwasi na unyogovu unaotolewa na NHS. Utafiti huo unaonyesha kuwa watu wazima wana matatizo ya akili ambayo huathiri karibu mtu mmoja kati ya watu wanne kila mwaka. Kulingana na NHS, matatizo ya afya ya akili ni sababu kubwa ya ulemavu nchini Uingereza. Programu ni bure na inatoa tiba ya tabia ya utambuzi, ushauri na kujisaidia iliyoongozwa. Dalili za kushuka moyo zilipimwa kwa kutumia maswali ambayo yanazingatia mambo kama vile matatizo ya usingizi, ukosefu wa kupendezwa na kufanya mambo na hali ya chini ya hisia. Matokeo hayo yaliunganishwa na rekodi za matibabu ya wagonjwa ili kutafuta matukio ya moyo. Utafiti huo mpya pia ulifunua uhusiano kati ya umri na manufaa ya matibabu ya mazungumzo. Watu walio chini ya umri wa miaka 60 ambao unyogovu wao ulipungua baada ya matibabu ya mazungumzo walikuwa na hatari ya chini ya 15% ya ugonjwa wa moyo na hatari ya chini ya 22% ya kifo cha mapema kutokana na sababu zote. Wagonjwa wenye umri wa miaka 60 na zaidi walipata faida ndogo. Uwezekano wa kuugua ugonjwa wa moyo ulipungua kwa asilimia 5 na uwezekano wa kufa mapema kwa sababu nyingine ulipungua kwa asilimia 14. Scott Krakow, daktari wa magonjwa ya akili katika hospitali ya Zucker Hillside huko Glen Oaks, New York, aliangalia matokeo ya utafiti huo. "Tumejua kwamba kuwa na mshuko wa moyo ni jambo linaloweza kusababisha ugonjwa wa moyo na mishipa ya damu na huenda likawa mbaya zaidi", akasema. Kwa maoni ya Krakower, matibabu bora ya mshuko wa moyo huchanganya dawa na matibabu ya mazungumzo. "Tiba ni muhimu kwa sababu una dalili zilizolengwa, na una mkutano wa moja kwa moja ambapo unaweza kujieleza na kufanya kazi kupitia mambo ambayo wakati mwingine dawa hazitafanya. """ "Tunajua pia kwamba dawa ni matibabu ya kawaida ya kushuka moyo - wazo kwamba umefanya uhusiano na mtu unayeweza kufungua ni kitu ambacho huwezi kufanya na dawa, ""Krakower aliongeza." Kutibu mshuko wa moyo kunaweza kuchochea kuboresha mtindo wa maisha ambao unanufaisha afya kwa ujumla, akasema. Kwa mfano, mtazamo mzuri unaweza kuongoza kwenye kula vyakula vyenye afya na kufanya mazoezi, ambayo yanaweza kuboresha afya ya moyo na ya jumla. "Ikiwa unahisi kuwa na wasiwasi au umeshuka moyo zaidi, kwa hakika unapaswa kutafuta matibabu", Krakower akasema. "Itafungua milango. "Utajua vizuri zaidi juu ya wewe mwenyewe na utakuwa na uwezekano mkubwa zaidi wa kufungua na kuwa na uaminifu zaidi kwa kubadilisha mtindo wako wa maisha. """ Utafiti huo ulichapishwa kwenye jarida la European Heart Journal. Kwa habari zaidi juu ya mshuko wa moyo na magonjwa ya moyo, ona Shirika la Moyo la Marekani. "Celine El Bao, PhD, Msaidizi wa Utafiti, Kituo cha Utafiti wa Dementia, Chuo Kikuu cha London, Uingereza; Scott Krakower, DO, daktari wa akili, Hospitali ya Zucker Hillside, Glen Oaks, NY; ""Jarida la Moyo la Ulaya,"" Aprili 18, 2023."