THIS Can Increase Your Risk of Heart Failure by 40 Percent

DEPRESSION INCREASES HEART FAILURE RISK

THIS Can Increase Your Risk of Heart Failure by 40 Percent

Your chances of ticker trouble may increase with the severity of your depression, according to a new study

BY PAIGE FOWLER, TODAY

Battling the blues 

may wreak havoc on your heart. In an 11-year study of more than 60,000 people, Norwegian scientists found that moderate to severe depression increases heart failure risk by 40 percent.

The stress associated with the medical condition may play a role, says study author Lise Tuset Gustad, R.N., an intensive care nurse and Ph.D. student. Stress triggers hormones such as cortisol, which are known to cause inflammation and accelerate heart disease.

“Plus, an unhealthy lifestyle often goes hand-in-hand with depression,” Gustad adds. Because of this, many people fighting depression are inactive, consume high-fat diets, and smoke—habits which are known to be risk factors.

Although the risk of ticker trouble climbs with people’s despair, even mild depression increases your chances of heart failure by 5 percent, according to the study. So if your symptoms interfere with your ability to work, sleep, study, eat, or enjoy once-pleasurable activities, you should seek professional help, says Gustad. Receiving effective treatment early will help you find healthy ways to deal with the illness, and safeguard your heart against any further damage.