Previously, a number of studies have suggested a link between certain mental health issues, such as depression, and heart disease. Mark Hamer, from the University College London (United Kingdom), and colleagues explored whether a similar association may exist for stroke. The team examined data from the Health Survey for England, which included a population-based sample of 68,652 adults, mean age 55 years, without any known history of cardiovascular diseases at the study’s start. Among the subjects, 15% screened positive for psychological distress on a standardized assessment that evaluated anxiety, depression, social withdrawal, and loss of confidence. During a mean 8-years of follow-up, 2,367 of the participants died from cardiovascular disease, including 562 deaths from cerebrovascular events. The researchers found that the higher the score on the stress questionnaire, the higher the risk of death from stroke. Specifically, psychological distress predicted a significant 66% elevated risk of death from cerebrovascular disease. The study authors observe that: “These data suggest that the cardiovascular effects of psychological distress are not limited to coronary artery disease.”
