ABSTRACT
Although high rates of depression have long been observed in post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients, the impact of depression on morbidity and mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) has only recently become apparent. Moreover, our knowledge in this area will change dramatically in the next 5 years as the results of a large, multicenter trial sponsored by NHLBI are reported. This study, called ENRICHD (for Enhanced Recovery in Coronary Heart Disease patients), will follow up to 3000 depressed and/or socially isolated patients, randomized to treatment for depression and/or social isolation or to control and follow-up for 4 years (1). In this chapter, we review what is known about the prevalence, course, assessment, and treatment of depression in patients with CVD.
