The American Heart Association has issued guidelines that suggest that heart patients should be monitored for signs of depression.
According to the medical panel, who published their report in the journal Circulation people who have had at least one heart attack are much more prone to depression than are people who have never had a heart attack.
The AHA say that people who have had heart attacks who become depressed are more likely to possibly skip their medication, or lack the willingness to participate in regular exercise, two things that are not good to do.
“I think we could reduce considerable suffering and improve outcomes,” by screening, said Erika Froelicher, professor of nursing at the University of California, San Francisco. “I know we can do more.”
The panel recommended that care givers ask heart attack patients just two simple questions: A Have you, in the last 2 weeks had little interest in doing things? and B Have you felt down, depressed or hopeless?
Depending on the answers given by the heart patient, would depend on the next course of action.
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