Virginia Beach free seminar links depression, heart disease

VIRGINIA BEACH -- It took Rosalyn Francis many years – of doctor appointments, questions and discomfort – before she was diagnosed with her heart condition.

Five years later, in 2005, Francis started Virginia Hearts in Action, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising heart awareness through education, screening and treatment.

“Whether you have been diagnosed with heart disease or are at the risk of developing heart disease, now is the time to take your heart health seriously,” said Francis, 59, of Rosemont Forest.

That is why Francis and her charity go out of their way to call upon experts in the field to share their knowledge with others.

Dr. David R. Spiegel, an associate professor of psychiatry at Eastern Virginia Medical School, will speak at 7 p.m. Feb. 17 at an event titled “Depression and Heart Disease.”

Spiegel will discuss the link between the two ailments and explain how one can lead to the other.

The Beacon interviewed Spiegel about depression, heart health and his upcoming talk:

What is the link between depression and heart disease?

Over the past century, coronary artery disease has been the primary killer of both men and women in the United States. Recent research suggests that depression is a particularly robust psychosocial predictor of CAD onset and progression.

The relationship between depression and poor cardiac outcomes may be connected by any number of factors, either alone or in combination, including: 

* treatment adherence 

* lifestyle factors such as smoking, heavy alcohol use and physical inactivity 

* traditional risk factors including hypertension, diabetes and insulin resistance, which tend to occur more often in patients with depression 

* changes in multiple biological systems due to the effects of depression on the body.

Why is it vital that heart patients address their signs of depression?

Many studies indicate the failure to diagnose and treat depression in CAD. For instance, in a study in 2002, while about one-third of the patients had depression, 18 months after a heart attack, none of the patients in this study of 85 patients received antidepressants and only six received any mental health treatment.

Therefore, it is vital that any stigma a patient with CAD feels about having depression must be discarded, as their quality of life, and possibly their life span, depends on it. What are the points that you will touch upon during your presentation?

I will review, in some further detail, the relationship discussed above, as well as the possible biobehavioral mechanisms that have been hypothesized to underlie the relationship between depression and CAD. I will discuss various psychological and medication treatment options, and their effects, both on depression and cardiac outcomes on those with depression.

Why should someone come out to hear your presentation? What can they expect to learn?

I think the primary reason someone should come to the presentation is to learn more about this potentially lethal combination of depression and heart disease.

Additionally, patients with heart disease should be aware that those who have depressive symptoms are more likely to notice the effects of heart disease in their daily life, more likely to report physical limitations, and diminished quality of life than those CAD patients without depression.

Most importantly, patients can learn that treating their depression, is just as important as treating their underlying heart condition, as, if either is left un- or under-treated, the results can be fatal.

Who can best benefit from your presentation?

I think that not only can CAD patients themselves benefit, but their family members, as well – as no matter what medical illness a patient has, family understanding and support is almost universally associated with a better quality of life for their afflicted family member.

Finally, any mental health professional in the community treating patients with CAD should find the presentation helpful.