Heart Disease:Depression and Heart Disease

People who lack a strong network of friends and family are at greater risk of developing—and dying from—heart disease, research shows. According to some studies, the risk of solitude is comparable to that posed by high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and even smoking.  Read More

To determine how lonely a person is, researchers typically use a questionnaire known as the UCLA Loneliness Scale. Iowa State University’s Daniel Russell, PhD, a co-creator of the scale, has produced a shorter version of the scale that you can use to measure your loneliness level.  Read More

Depression can sap the energy and motivation that people with heart disease need to get better. Studies show that depressed cardiac patients are less likely to take their medications, to quit smoking, or to attend cardiac rehabilitation—all of which are important for recovery and survival...  Read More

Right after her double bypass surgery at age 57, Kit Cassak, a self-described optimist, was her usual upbeat self; three months later she couldn't stop crying. "I'd be scared to go to sleep at night—I didn't know if I'd wake up in the morning," she says...  Read More

By some estimates, people who suffer from depression are about 65% more likely to develop heart disease, and up to one in five people with heart disease will develop depression...  Read More