Diabetes, Depression, and Disease Control

Major depression has been identified in up to 18% of patients with type 2 diabetes, and diabetes patients often also have other medical conditions, such as elevated levels of blood pressure and low-density lipoproteins. In addition to posing a substantial health burden, depression is associated with poor adherence to self-care regimens, higher HbA_1c levels, and increased macrovascular and microvascular complications and mortality. Researchers conducted a 5-year prospective study of 4117 diabetic primary-care patients to determine the effect of comorbid depression on patients' control of blood pressure, low-density lipoproteins, and diabetes and on treatment intensification (increasing doses or adding or switching medications) by primary-car…