[Depression and cardiovascular diseases in the elderly].

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to reveal if there are connections between depression and cardiovascular disease.

Material And Method: We have studied 413 patients from Jorasti, Jud Galati on a two-years period (2008-2010). On these patients there was performed a careful history taking and they were physically examined (height, weight, body mass index, waist, blood pressure, heart rate). There was also performed an ECG (electrocardiogram), there were measured the levels of cholesterolemia, HDL-cholesterolemia, trygliceridemia and creatininemia. We used the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) in order to evaluate depression.

Results: in these patients there was noticed a higher prevalence of dyslipidemias, obesity and depression in women. Out of the 46 women with mild and severe depression 32 are overweight, 7 have obesity, 29 a high cholesterol, 23 a high LDL-cholesterol; all of them had a high risk or the presence of cardiovascular disease.

Conclusions: Depression is an independent risk factor for producing a cardiovascular event; the level of cholesterol and of the blood preessure was higher in patients with severe depression, proving that the level of the cardiovascular risk factors increased with the severity of the depression. Treating the elderly, which often associate depression, makes necessary a careful evaluation of all comorbidities and risks, in order to establish perfect individualized strategies of improving the quality of life.