Comprehensive rehabilitation of patients with coronary heart disease concurrent with anxiety and depression disorders

• Main Authors: A. N Repin, E. V Lebedeva, T. N Sergienko, R. S Karpov
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Concilium Medicum 2010-03-01
• Series: КардиоСоматика
• Subjects: coronary heart disease; biopsychosocial rehabilitation; anxiety and depression disorders; affective disorders; antidepressants; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; fluvoxamine; aortocoronary bypass surgery; percutaneous transluminnal coronary angioplasty
• Online Access: https://cardiosomatics.orscience.ru/2221-7185/article/view/44965

In cardiological inpatients, coronary heart disease (CHD) is concurrent with clinical anxiety and depression disorders in 43% of cases. Comorbidity of coronary disease and anxiety and depression disorders is more frequently encountered among women than among men (40 versus 22%) and among post-aortocoronary bypass patients. Depressive disorders substantially worsen the course of CHD due to the frequent development of myocardial infarction, low exercise endurance, and patients’ refusal to have endovascular and surgical treatments. Therapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants caused a reduction in anxiety and depression disorders along with the improved clinical course of CHD, as evidenced from angina pectoris and heart failure. No serious side effects were observed during continuous SSRI use. The proposed regimen for the joint follow-up, treatment, and rehabilitation of patients by a working group of cardiologists and psychiatrists within a biopsychosocial model of rehabilitation is effective. It may be extensively used in cardiology, in the outpatient setting in particular.