Depression may be a problem after heart transplantation

A new study shows that depression among those who've received a new heart is as common as among those with chronic illness.
Depression is known to be a risk factor for poor outcome in heart disease and maybe other chronic conditions. But no-one has looked at the long-term impact of depression in heart transplant recipients. A team at the University Hospital of Leuven, Belgium, now reports on a ten year study of depression in a group of 41 patients who had received a new heart.

They found that 30 per cent had symptoms of depression at five years and 22 per cent at ten years. One in five were depressed at both time points. This is a level of depression higher than among the general population and is similar to that found among those with a chronic illness. They found that a passive coping style and low levels of social and physical activity were linked to a higher risk of depression. None of the depressed patients were actually receiving medication for their condition - maybe because their symptoms were mild, although persistent. The researchers suggest that it's important to monitor heart transplant patients continuously for depression. It may also be that besides antidepressants, patients who are depressed after a heart transplant could be encouraged to take exercise and to socialise more. And they could also be shown how to adopt a more active coping style for managing everyday problems.