Cardiovascular disease in women with depression: One more thing to worry about

Worldwide, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the largest single cause of death among women, accounting for 33% of all deaths. In many countries, more women than men die every year of CVD, highlighting the unique aspects of risk factor management of CVD in women. Major depressive disorder is also an illness that affects women more often than men; thus, cardiovascular conditions among patients with chronic mental illness such as depression represent an additional vulnerability and a compounded burden of illness for women. Clinical and hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy and the postmenopausal period also represent life events that require specific attention and represent a time of heightened vulnerability for both mood disorders and CVD risk. This article addresses the role of gender in risk stratification and in the responsiveness to preventive interventions for CVD in women with depression. Moreover, it reviews existing evidence on sex hormones as modulators of biomarkers and clinical measures of CVD in depressed patients. © MBL Communications.