Friday, May 22, 2009

APA: Heart Risks May Impair Depression Treatment

Cardiovascular risk factors may be linked to lack of response to antidepressant treatment, researchers found.

Patients with diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and obesity were twice as likely to be unresponsive to antidepressant medication as other patients (P<0.05 to 0.01), Dale D'Mello, M.D., and Alric Hawkins, M.D., both of Michigan State University in East Lansing, reported at the American Psychiatric Association meeting.

The lack of response was not significantly more common among smokers, though.

The researchers' preliminary cohort study also revealed that those with comorbid cardiovascular risk factors were older at onset of depression and had tried -- unsuccessfully -- a greater number of antidepressant drugs.

READ MORE @ MEDPAGE TODAY