Depression

Dear Dr. Mirkin: Can you help me persuade my husband to seek
help for his depression?

    Perhaps he would be convinced by a study from
Washington University in St. Louis which shows that people who
are depressed may be at increased risk for heat attacks
(American Journal of Cardiology, Volume 90, Issue 12, 2002). 
Blood tests for inflammation are better predictors of a future heart
attack than blood cholesterol tests because the first step in
forming plaques is an inflammation that roughens the inner lining
of arteries.  The authors showed that people who are depressed
have higher blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and
interleukin-6, measures of inflammation.  The depressed people
did not have an increased incidence of known causes of
inflammation such as smoking or infection with cytomegalovirus
or chlamydia. However, they were significantly fatter than the
control subjects. Excess fat can raise CRP, so being overweight
may be a more significant risk factor for a heart attack than just
being depressed.
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