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The known association of clinical depression and poor outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) has led professional organizations to recommend depression screening (linked to treatment as needed), despite lack of strong evidence to support such screening. In this multicenter U.S. study, researchers randomized 1500 patients (mean age, 66) who experienced ACS within the past year to one of three groups: (1) depression screening with a validated questionnaire plus structured care for those who screened positive, (2) the same screening protocol with results given to patients' primary care physicians, or (3) usual care. Patients with prior depression diagnoses were excluded.
About 7% of each of the two screening groups scored posi…