Depression in adolescence increases the risk of early heart disease
A very recent scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) said that adolescents with major depression and bipolar mood disorder have increased risk of getting early heart disease and therefore must need early intervention to prevent it.
According to Mayo Clinic, depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn't worth living.
More than just a bout of the blues, depression isn't a weakness and you can't simply "snap out" of it. Depression may require long-term treatment. But don't get discouraged. Most people with depression feel better with medication, psychological counseling or both.
Depressive patients have persistent severe apathy which interfere with their ability to work, sleep, study, eat and enjoy life.
On the other hand, bipolar mood disorder affects individuals with period of extreme highs i.e. mania and extreme lows i.e. depression.
The published study in the journal "Circulation" reported that adolescents with mood disorders had significantly high percentages of risk factors for heart diseases. These risk factors include obesity, high blood pressure, and unhealthy cholesterol levels.
Sleep problems, physical inactivity, smoking and treatment related weight gain and metabolic changes increases the risk of heart diseases.
The scientific committee stated, based on available data, these adolescent must be put to preventive efforts like maintaining healthy level of weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar level.
As chronic diseases like cardiovascular diseases starts in early stage of life and manifest in later life, identification of risk factors like depression in early life will provide important opportunity to prevent heart diseases.
The article is compiled by Dr. Md. Shajedur Rahman Shawon, a fellow of Karolinska Institutet.
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