摘要：
抑郁症是美国人在日常生活中最常遇到的健康问题之一，而心脏病则是造成该国死亡的"头号杀手"。近日，美国健康专家指出，尽管这两种疾病的确会单独出现在不同患者身上，但有关研究显示，在很多情况下，两种疾病还是存在着一定的关系。
Depression is one of the most common health disorders in the US, and heart disease is a leading cause of death. "Although they can and do occur separately, research shows that the two conditions are often connected," health experts write in the February issue of the Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource.

抑郁症是美国人在日常生活中最常遇到的健康问题之一，而心脏病则是造成该国死亡的"头号杀手"。近日，美国健康专家指出，尽管这两种疾病的确会单独出现在不同患者身上，但有关研究显示，在很多情况下，两种疾病还是存在着一定的关系。

抑郁症是患心脏病的前兆

据路透社3月1日报道，美国著名的Mayo诊所的健康期刊最近发表报告指出，抑郁症在心脏病患者中的发病率要高于那些没有心脏病的人。三分之一的心脏病患者曾经出现过抑郁症的相关症状，而在全体成年人中，这一比例仅为二十分之一。研究还发现，抑郁症其实也是预示某人患有心脏病的一个前兆。在一项对绝经后女性进行的研究中，调查人员发现，那些出现过抑郁症状的被调查者即使以前从未有过心脏病史，其日后患上心脏病或是因此病而死亡的概率，也会比没有出现过抑郁症状的同伴高出50％。

为了给这两种疾病间存在的联系做出解释，Mayo诊所的专家们指出，抑郁症并不仅仅会对一个人的精神状态产生负面影响，它同时还会损害这个人的肉体健康。抑郁症可以导致人体血压升高心率失常，还会使人体内应激激素的分泌水平呈现出长期居高不下的状态，而这会加大心脏的工作负担。

Mayo诊所女性心脏门诊部负责人沙罗妮·海耶斯博士说："即使你以前从未得过心脏病，但如果你的情绪长期萎靡不振的话，那你日后患上心脏病的危险就会有所增加。需要进一步指出的是，对于那些有过抑郁症病史的人来说，一旦他们患上了心脏病，则会更容易出现反复发作的现象。"

医生也常常对此视而不见

海耶斯指出，这两种疾病间所存在的复杂关系可能会使其中至少一种病症无法得到及时确诊。此前进行的一项研究显示，即使是医生和护士也往往会忽略对那些心脏病患者进行抑郁症方面的检查，而让患者自己辨别出其身上存在的抑郁症状就更是难上加难了。海耶斯说："这种现状说明有些心脏病患者需要接受与抑郁症有关的治疗，或者至少应对其在这方面做出进一步检查，但我们却极有可能对此持一种视而不见的态度。"

抑郁症的具体症状包括持续不退的悲伤情绪，对日常活动丧失兴趣，经常产生负罪感、无望感、疲劳感或紧张感，以及食欲改变等。一些与抑郁症有关的症状可能为很多心脏病患者所忽视，或者是被视做由于人体衰老或心脏出现问题后所产生的一种正常现象。海耶斯对于心脏病患者提出了如下建议："在你刚刚被确诊患有心脏病时，感到伤心和悲哀可能是一种十分自然的反应，但如果这些情感经久不退或者是令你的正常身体机能受到了干扰的话，那么做为一个心脏病患者，你应当对此格外重视并前往医院检查自己是否已经同时患上了抑郁症。"

（国际在线独家资讯 张咏）

Depression is one of the most common health disorders in the US, and heart disease is a leading cause of death. "Although they can and do occur separately, research shows that the two conditions are often connected," health experts write in the February issue of the Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource.

Previous studies have shown that depression is more common among people with heart disease than among those without. Researchers found that one in three heart attack survivors experience depression, compared to about one in 20 adults in the general population.

Depression has also been shown to be a precursor to heart disease. In one study of postmenopausal women, investigators found that those with symptoms of depression were 50 percent more likely to develop or die from heart disease than those without such symptoms, even though they had no prior history of heart disease.

Explaining the connection between the two conditions, the Mayo Clinic experts note that depression affects not only the mind but also physical health. Depression has been linked to increased blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms, as well as chronically elevated stress hormone levels, which can increase the heart's workload.

"Even if you don't have heart disease, if you are chronically depressed, you are at somewhat increased risk of heart disease," Dr. Sharonne Hayes, a specialty reviewer of the HealthSource publication, told Reuters Health. What's more, people with a history of depression "are susceptible for recurrence" if they develop heart disease, said Hayes, who is also the director of the Women's Heart Clinic at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Yet, "the complex interplay between the two conditions may allow for one or both to go undiagnosed," according to the HealthSource article.

Findings from a previously reported study show that even doctors and nurses do not always readily assess depression in heart patients, and it is "hard for patients to recognize" their own depressive symptoms, Hayes said.

This "tells us we're probably missing some people who need to be treated or at least further evaluated (for depression)," she said.

Symptoms of depression include persistent" title="a.坚持的；固执的">persistentsadness, loss of interest in normal activities, feelings of guilt or hopelessness, tiredness, restlessness and changes in appetite. Some of these symptoms may "be discounted by many with heart disease or viewed as a natural part of dealing with aging or heart-health problems," the report indicates.

According to Hayes, "It may be natural to grieve and be sad if you have a new diagnosis of heart disease." If those feelings persist or interfere with normal daily functioning, however, heart patients should "specifically mention that and be evaluated (for depression)," she advised.

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