Linking mental and physical health
The American Heart Association (AHA) has released a scientific statement to increase awareness and recognition of major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder in youth as moderate risk factors for early cardiovascular disease. Dr. Benjamin Goldstein, a scientist in the Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program at Sunnybrook Research Institute, is the report’s lead author and chair of the Hypertension and Obesity in Youth Committee of the AHA’s Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young.
Goldstein and his colleagues reviewed research on the association between mood disorders and heart disease. They found a significant increase in traditional heart disease risk factors among teens with major depressive or bipolar disorder. Many factors common to adolescents with depression or bipolar disorder, such as sleep disorders and physical inactivity, and the medications prescribed to treat these disorders increase the risk of heart disease.
Based on his findings, Goldstein says teens with mood disorders should be considered at moderate risk for heart disease and undergo early monitoring.
» Read the full story at The Globe and Mail
» Read more about Dr. Goldstein’s research on biomarkers to guide treatment of bipolar disorder
