2008/02/13
Based on original reporting by HealthDay News
(HealthDay) - Hostility and depression often appear together, and the combination can put a strain on the heart, a new study finds.
Researchers at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis examined emotional symptoms and blood markers of inflammatory proteins in 316 healthy people aged 50 to 70.
As reported in The New York Times, patients with depressive symptoms and hostility were more prone to higher levels of the inflammatory proteins interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein -- each of which have been linked to heart disease risk.
"The relationship of these negative emotions to inflammatory markers is more complex and much stronger than depression or hostility individually," lead researcher Jesse Stewart, assistant professor of psychology, told the Times. "There are, of course, mental health reasons to treat depression and hostility. Now we know there is a physical health reason -- the link to cardiovascular diseases," he added.
The study is published in the February-March issue of Psychosomatic Medicine.
Resources
Depression - Condition Information
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Heart & Stroke Foundation
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Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
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Canadian Mental Health Association
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