Citation

Seymour J, Benning TB. Adv. Psychiatr. Treat. 2009; 15(2): 107-113.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Royal College of Psychiatrists)

DOI

10.1192/apt.bp.107.004770

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Depression is an illness that kills. The links between depression and medical illness are well established and bi-directional, but evidence is mounting that depression increases mortality as well as morbidity in adults, particularly older adults. We examine the evidence that the increase in mortality in depression applies to all-cause mortality as well as cardiac mortality, and describe plausible physiological theories for the association. We conclude that excess mortality arising from depression is a major public health problem that is largely unrecognised and needs to be addressed by a range of clinicians.

Language: en

Keywords

human; age; suicide; depression; prevalence; mortality; clinical trial; bereavement; comorbidity; risk factor; morbidity; article; dying; neuroleptic agent; fluoxetine; mirtazapine; paroxetine; serotonin uptake inhibitor; sertraline; tricyclic antidepressant agent; venlafaxine; social psychology; electroconvulsive therapy; cardiotoxicity; drug safety; QT interval; cardiovascular disease; side effect; duloxetine; diabetes mellitus; heart arrhythmia; hypothyroidism; iatrogenic disease; hyperglycemia; insulin resistance; heart death; Cushing disease