Depression Increases Heart Failure Risk

Study revealed by Dr. Kao shows obesity and mood disorders develops higher risk of heart failure in pregnant women!

Today Dr David P. Kao presented his research findings at Heart Failure 2015, the annual meeting of the Heart Failure Association (HFA), which indicate the presence of obesity and mood disorders increase the risk of PPCM commonly called heart failure in pregnant women.

Anxiety, depression or bipolar disorders can double the risk of PPCM or peripartum cardiomyopathy in pregnant women, while obesity can increase risks of PPCM by 1.7-fold increase.

Dr. Kao is an assistant professor at the University of Colorado in Denver, US and his study carried out research on nearly 7.5 million pregnant women. According to Dr. Kao pregnant women with any mood disorders and obesity especially exhibiting shortness of breath and swelling in feet should be screened for PPCM. 

The research study carried out census of records from all the hospitals in California, New Jersey, Vermont, and Colorado from the years 2007 till 2013 and found out mood disorders had an effect on the heart of the pregnant mother during childbirth.

During pregnancy a woman’s body is undergoing changes which affect her heart rate, while the presence of other disorders such as anxiety, depression and obesity can lead to extra stress on the heart and /4/cause it to enlarge.

Roughly about 70% of pregnant women recover after delivery while 10 to 15% result in stillbirths or persistent heart failure after delivery and /4/require extra medical attention for the rest of their lives.

Some women /4/even have to undergo a heart transplant if the swelling damages their heart to a big extent. Therefore it is advisable to screen women with mood disorders and obesity so the symptoms can be managed as best as possible.