Kartläggning av symtom på depression hos patienter med hjärtrytmrubbningar

Sammanfattning: Cardiac arrhythmias and heart diseases can result in a limited performance capacity which could lead to anxiety and depression. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of symptoms of depression among patients with cardiac arrhythmias. The intention was also to explore differences between men and women in the occurrence of symptoms of depression. Furthermore, the prevalence of symptoms of depression among patients with cardiac arrhythmias was compared with a Swedish general population. Method: For two weeks MADRS-S, a self-rating scale for depression, were distributed at a medicine ward where patients with cardiac arrhythmias are treated, at a hospital in Sweden. A total of 19 patients participated in the study. Results: The results showed that 5,3 % (n=1) of the patients are suffering from major depression. It was also shown that 31,6 % (n=5) had some kind of the depression, minor or major. No significant difference could be seen between men and women, but a tendency towards higher depression scores could be seen in women. Depression is more common among patients with cardiac arrhythmias than in a general population, 31,6 % compared with 15 %. Conclusion: This study showed that there are symptoms of depression in the study population. As regards to the difference between symptoms of depression in men and women, and the general population and the study population, further studies with more participants to examine the validity of this study’s results.