The Course of Depression Following Myocardial Infarction and the Impact of the Social Neglect on the Recovery of the Patient

Depression and low perceived social support (LPSS) after myocardial infarction (MI) are associated with higher morbidity and mortality. In the original AHRQ EPC report, prevalence varied by type of measure used. For example, use of the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (SCID) yielded prevalence ranging from 17% to 27%. Including the ENRICHD trial at 20% and validated depression scales, such as the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), yielded prevalence ranging from 10% to 47%, depending on the cut points used. The updated evidence review continued to show a wide range of prevalence (7.2% to 41.2%) depending on the method used to assess depression. Structured interviews tended to produce lower prevalence estimates, and ratings scales, such as the BDI, produced higher prevalence estimates. In general, across the studies, about 1 of every 5 patients with an MI has depression during an initial hospitalization [1].