In an interesting study published by the American College of Cardiology, depression is linked to high levels of inflammation which then becomes a complicating factor in the successful treatment of heart failure and disease.

Mark Sullivan, MD, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry, at the University of Washington, and principal investigator of the overall study, stated that depression has been shown to worsen patient outcomes in heart failure.

“This study begins to demonstrate some of the pathophysiological mechanisms by which this may occur,” he said. “It suggests that proinflammatory cytokines may be important.”

The test subjects were heart failure patients with higher levels of tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFr1), a marker of inflammation.

The study found that these individuals had up to a 5-fold increased risk for depression, and thus, a significantly bleaker outcome in their battle against heart failure.

In their abstract the authors point out that proinflammatory cytokines (evidence of inflammation in the body) have been implicated in the development and progression of both depression and heart failure.

In fact, a previous study by this group showed that in patients with advanced heart failure, those with a diagnosis of depression had a significantly increased risk of death, transplantation, or heart failure–related hospitalizations and clinic visits.

There was also a significant connection between high levels of inflammation and scores on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Interestingly, though, the use of antidepressants in the depressed heart failure patients reduced depression scores but not the level inflammation in the body, which remained significantly elevated in treated patients, at almost 60% higher than the reference group.

D. Levy, MD, from the University of Washington, in Seattle, a heart failure cardiologist stated,

“Antidepressants may improve how you feel but may not lower the mediators, that is, TNFr1 and other factors, so it may require other interventions to reduce the risk associated with depression in these patients.”

Ultimately, these findings provide insight into why it is urgently important to balance out your body’s levels of inflammation. Especially if you are suffering from both heart disease and depression.

Link to the study at Medscape.com