Watch out for the depressing aftermath of a heart attack
The weeks and months after a heart attack or cardiac surgery can bring on a lot of despair. I've had patients who think the rough going of the early recuperation period means rough going for the rest of their lives.
In most cases, they are wrong. But it's easy for depression to creep up during that early period, and that depression can interfere with treatment by making the patient lose interest in the lifestyle changes that are often called for after a cardiac scare.
The American Heart Association recently called for regular screening of heart patients for depression. Depression is about three times as likely to happen with heart attack survivors and those hospitalized with cardiac illnesses. But only half of heart doctors say they treat depression among their patients.
It's clear that screening needs to improve, and that more patients need to come forward when they're feeling depressed after an attack. If you've suffered a heart attack and just haven't felt right since, let your doctor know. Talking about it may make you feel better, and I think talk therapy is the right first-line treatment for this type of depression.
