Sufferers of heart disease may want to beware of the risks of high stress and depression, as a recent report from Columbia University Medical Center in New York City finds that these could lead to an increased risk for heart attack and death.
Reuters spoke with the report’s lead author Carmela Alcantara, who said high stress and severe depression combined could be especially difficult for adults with heart disease during an “early, vulnerable period.”
In a study by Alcantara and her team, which followed 4,400 people 45 and older with coronary heart disease, it was found that 12 percent had high stress, 14 percent had high depression and 6 percent suffered from both. After a six year follow up, about a fourth of these participants had a heart attack or died.
“More research is needed to understand why psychosocial factors like these are so often tied to heart health in particular,” Alcantara told Reuters.
For sufferers of heart disease, it is important to let your doctor know about any signs of stress or depression, as this will need to be quelled for you to reach optimum levels of health. Severe sufferers of heart disease and/or depression for whom it has become too hard to work should apply for disability benefits via the Social Security Administration as soon as possible, as this can be a great lifeline during tough times.
The symptoms related to stress and depression can significantly interfere with the ability to perform competitive work activity. The Social Security disability program is available to those debilitated by stress and depression symptoms who cannot work.
It’s wise to apply as soon as possible when one realizes that they can no longer perform work activities. The Law Offices of Harold W. Conick & Associates, Ltd has successfully represented numerous clients before the SSA who suffered from severe stress and depression.
