Anxiety and depression symptoms in chest pain patients referred for the exercise stress test

Abstract

Introduction:As chest pain is an important symptom of coronary artery disease (CAD), the presentation of the symptom often prompts referral to a cardiologist for further investigation. The aim of the present study is to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients referred to a cardiology outpatient clinic for performing the stress test.Patients and Methods:Two hundred and fifty consecutive outpatients referred for evaluation of chest pain by the stress test at a government cardiology clinic from April 2010 to November 2010 were asked to participate in the study. We estimated the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms, as assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, in a sample of patients with chest pain.Results:The prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms was estimated to be 42% and 31%, respectively, in the total chest pain population. Males with abnormal test were depressed but females experienced more anxiety symptoms. Patients with negative tests had significantly higher scores for anxiety and higher depression scores than those with positive tests. Eleven percent of the patients with positive tests were women and 23% were men.Conclusion:Determining a patient's anxiety disorder history may assist the clinician in identifying, especially, women with angina who are at a lower risk of underlying CAD.

EVALUATION OF ANXIETY & DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN PATIENTS WITH 1 ST EPISODE OF CHEST PAIN ATTENDING MEDICINE OUT PATIENT DEPARTMENT OF TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL

“…Patients with negative tests had significantly higher scores for anxiety and higher depression scores than those with positive tests. [8] There is positive and (Statistical) significance (p<0.05) correlation between symptom duration and DSSS score, it means that if (Symptom) duration of chest pain (Increases) than dsss total score will increase. This finding is supported by other study in which the prevalence of depressive disorders in patients with AMI 1 month after the cardiac event was stated as 59.5% by Strik et al, which was higher than the other studies.…”

A comparison of Functional and Anatomical Investigations with Angina Symptoms: Results from a Randomised Controlled Trial

“…Patients with chest pain and no evidence of significant CAD can continue to have physical limitations and a poor quality of life [29,30] . The pathophysiology of such pain is unknown, although prior studies have suggested possible mechanisms such as endothelial and microvascular coronary dysfunction [31][32][33] as well as psychological factors [34] . Traditionally patients with symptomatic non obstructive disease are a difficult cohort to manage as symptoms are often indistinguishable from those with significant CAD [35] .…”

Symptoms of cardiovascular diseases in the course of mental disorders

“…It may be a symptom of coronary artery disease or myocardial infarction, which is one of the most terrifying conditions for patients [7][8]. According to numerous studies, in emergency departments the diagnosis of organic cause of the ailment is excluded in 30% to 77% of patients [9][10][11][12]. A comparable proportion of patients in primary health care, i.e.…”