Younger women with anxiety and depression are twice as likely to develop heart problems later in life, a study suggests.
Scientists say these conditions could be used as eligibility criteria for screening techniques aimed at preventing serious problems such as heart attacks in at-risk patients.
Data shows that anxiety and depression almost double a young woman’s risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes.
Women under 50 are often overlooked heart diseasesaid study author Dr. Giovanni Civieri, a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, because other demographic groups have a higher incidence.
“We could reduce cardiovascular disease”
“But this study suggests that if a younger woman has depression or anxiety, we should start screening for cardiovascular risk factors to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease,” he added.
Researchers analyzed the medical records of 71,214 people in the Mass General Brigham Biobank, and a 10-year follow-up revealed elevated risk.
About 38 percent of participants developed high blood pressure, high cholesterol and/or diabetes.
People with a history of anxiety or depression were about 55 percent more likely to develop one or more of these risk factors than people without anxiety or depression.
However, data shows that women under 50 with anxiety or depression were nearly twice as likely to develop cardiovascular risk factors as any other group.
Depression increases risk in men
They had the lowest overall rates of cardiovascular risk factors, but their mental health problems significantly increased the risk.
Dr Civieri said: “Once a young woman has depression or anxiety, her absolute risk is comparable to that of a young man.
“There is a sort of catch-up phenomenon in which depression and anxiety increase the risk that would otherwise be very low. »
Scientists now hope to understand why mental health issues have such a severe impact on young women compared to other demographic groups.
The findings are expected to be presented at the American College of Cardiology’s annual scientific session in Atlanta, Georgia, next month.
