Depression Associated with Death and Hospitalization in Patients with Heart Failure

Depression is associated with worse outcomes among patients with coronary heart disease, but its relation to heart failure has not been fully delineated. In this prospective cohort study, 204 outpatients with a history of heart failure (ejection fraction ≤40%) underwent screening for depressive symptoms (using the Beck depression inventory) and measurement of N-terminal pro-BNP (a marker of heart failure severity).

After a median of 3 years, 54 patients (26%) died, and 98 (48%) were hospitalized at least once for cardiovascular disease. In a multivariate analysis adjusted for age, heart failure etiology, ejection fraction, baseline levels of N-terminal pro-BNP, and antidepressant use, patients with higher depression scores were at increased …