Depression increases the onset of cardiovascular disease over and above other determinants in older primary care patients, a cohort study.

Background: To determine if major depressive disorder (MDD) in older primary care patients is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events.

Methods: A cohort of 143 primary care patients with depression and 139 non-depressed controls without depression (both aged over 55 years, matched for age and gender) from the Netherlands was evaluated for 2 years. MDD was diagnosed according to DSM-IV-criteria.

Differences in heart rate variability between depressed and non-depressed elderly.

Objective: To determine whether older primary care patients with a Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) have lower heart rate variability (HRV) compared to non-depressed patients. HRV is a measure of cardiac autonomic functioning.

Method: A cross-sectional comparison of 136 elderly persons with MDD and 136 non-depressed controls (matched for age and gender) recruited in family practices in the Netherlands.