Depression may increase the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, major study warns

• People with high levels of depression 34% more likely to develop heart disease
• And they are 33% more at risk of type 2 diabetes, study of 300,000 Britons finds
• US researchers say findings show ‘contributing role’ depression plays in disease

Depression may increase the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes — even if someone leads an otherwise healthy lifestyle.

A study of more than 300,000 Britons found those who reported being happy often were a third less likely to develop the chronic conditions.  

They were also a fifth less likely to have an irregular heart rate, which increases the risk of having a stroke.  

The heightened risks remained even after accounting for a host of other variables like diet, weight, smoking and genetics.  

The team said their study shows the ‘contributing role’ depression plays in the development of cardiovascular and wider health problems.   

When someone experiences depression, anxiety or stress, their heart rate and blood pressure rises and the body produces higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.

Over time, these effects can lead to heart problems.

A study of more than 300,000 Britons found those who reported being happy were a third less likely to develop heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Researchers in the US said their study shows the ‘contributing role’ depression plays in the development of cardiovascular and wider health problems. Pictured: stock of depressed woman

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Yale University studied the genomes of 328,152 people, who were aged 57 on average and included in the UK Biobank. They found those who reported the lowest level of depression (blue line) were 34 per cent less likely to suffer from coronary artery disease (left graph) compared to those with high levels of depression (purple line). And hose with good mental health were 33 per cent less likely to report type 2 diabetes (middle graph) and had a 20 per cent lower risk of atrial fibrillation (right graph)

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Yale University, looked at the medical records of 328,152 people aged between 40 and 69 in the UK Biobank database. 

More than three-quarters of the group (77.7 per cent) said they had never felt down enough to be depressed, while 18.3 per cent said they were depressed sometimes.

Coronary heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease, is a major cause of death in the UK.

Its main symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, pain throughout the body and feeling faint and sick.

It happens when the heart’s blood supply is blocked or interrupted by a build-up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries.

Over time, the artery walls can become thickened with fatty deposit. It can be caused by smoking and drinking alcohol excessively.

People with mental health conditions are at a higher risk of developing heart problems. 

It cannot be cured by treatment can manage symptoms and reduce the risk of a heart attack.

Around 4 per cent said they were depressed regularly.

Using this data they were able to create a specialised tool that can be used to refine risk prediction for heart disease.

The researchers found that having fewer depressive episodes was associated with a decreased risk of coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes and irregular heartbeat by 34 per cent, 33 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively. 

The team said the findings were independent of the genetic risk of developing the disease. 

The findings were published in the journal Nature Cardiovascular Research.  

The researchers said the mechanism for how depression triggers cardiometabolic disease is ‘incompletely understood’.

But they said previous research has pointed to depression triggering changes in the nervous system that causes alterations in the heart and metabolism.

Depression has also been linked with an inflammatory response that can affect the body’s organs.

And high cholesterol has been linked with higher rates of depression. 

The team said their findings suggest treating depression could reduce the risk of cardiometabolic disease.

However, they said more data on the effects of depression treatment and whether this reduces risks of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and an irregular heart beat are needed to confirm this.  

Depression and diabetes share symptoms including tiredness and difficulty concentrating, making it hard for some people to distinguish the two.   

In an article published alongside the study, Cambridge University cardiovascular experts Dr Scott Ritchie and Dr Michael Inouye said the findings ‘provide the first evidence’ that depression and its severity increase the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes beyond lifestyle factors and genetic susceptibility. 

The findings suggest new avenues of treatment, such as assessing people for depression through a simple questionnaire, which provides an ‘attractive low-cost approach’ to improve screening for and managing cardiometabolic disease. 

The study also raises the question of whether people with symptoms or a history of depression should be prioritised for earlier or more regular screening for cardiovascular disease, they added.

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