High frequency of anxiety and angina pectoris in depressed women with coronary heart disease.

Background: Depression is an unfavorable state that is difficult to recognize in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Little is known about the characteristics of depressed female CHD patients.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence of depressive symptoms in women entering a cardiac rehabilitation program, and furthermore, to examine whether women who have CHD and depressive symptoms display any unfavorable physical or psychological characteristics that could be helpful in identifying female CHD patients at increased risk of depression.