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Depression is a risk factor for recurrent cardiac events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Now, researchers have studied the association between depression and shock-treated ventricular arrhythmias among 645 patients with implantable-cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs); these patients represented the 54% of subjects in the prospective Triggers of Ventricular Arrhythmias (TOVA) study who agreed to participate in a depression substudy.
At baseline, 530 patients (82%) were not depressed, 90 (14%) were mildly depressed, and 25 (4%) were moderately or severely depressed, according to the Centers for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression scale. As part of TOVA, patients were asked to call the study staff within 72 hours of an ICD discharge…