Depression in coronary artery disease: Does treatment help?

ABSTRACT

Research over the past decade on the link between depression and coronary artery disease (CAD) has moved from establishing the epidemiologic association between depression and CAD to a focus on whether and how treating depression in patients with CAD benefits these patients. Evidence to date indicates that depression therapy does improve depression, albeit somewhat modestly, in CAD patients. The effect of depression therapy on CAD outcomes is less clear, although there is enough positive evidence to encourage further research. The effects of depression treatment on mechanisms mediating increased CAD risk in depressed patients are variable. Future research should perhaps focus on targeting treatment at intermediary mechanisms as well as at depression itself.