Depression and Anxiety: What You Need to Know to Avoid Them

Running head: DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY 1 

Depression and Anxiety 

Depression is a risk factor recognized for the prognosis and development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) same to anxiety. Depression and anxiety disorder are non-communicable diseases responsible for human disability and mortality globally. CVD has recorded the highest mortality rates in the European Union, particularly Latvia, estimated at 57% of all deaths in 2015 (Ivanovs et al., 2018). In the past research completed in 52 countries with 15, 152 participants, results showed that depression and anxiety risk factors were responsible for 90 percent of attributed psychological challenges (Ivanovs et al., 2018). The figure denotes that depression and anxiety are more dangerous than diabetes mellitus and hypertension. However, the impact of anxiety as an etiological health factor is contradictory. It would be prudent to recommend for the close monitoring of antidepressants and that regularly scheduled therapy continues for those affected. 

Depression is highly associated with low mood; often leading to individuals affected feeling persistently hopeless or sad. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), depression can temporarily be experienced in people's responses to trauma or grief (Bansal et al., 2019). However, if the experience lasts for more than two weeks, the condition turns out to be a severe depressive disorder. It is quite difficult to get an accurate diagnosis for depression; the medication exercise can be complicated. Routine monitoring of patients response to the antidepressant is needed by the health practitioner for further clinical guidance. If patients do not respond to the cognitive behavior therapy given as psychological treatment, antidepressant medication is recommended especially for adults. Examples of recommended antidepressants are amitriptyline, amoxapine, doxepin, imipramine, clomipramine and nortriptyline. 

The antidepressants in depression help reduce depressive symptoms by improving neurotransmitters’ chemical imbalances in the brain (Ivanovs et al., 2018). The increased chemical imbalances lead to mental health interferences for major depressive disorder causing a declined ability for cardiac measures in individuals hence coronary artery disease (CAD). Antidepressants medication with increased routine therapeutic exercise help control individuals thinking declining depression hence reduced mortality rates from diseases associated with depression. Research proved that patients with very high depression symptoms were at risk of suffering from CVD (Bansal et al., 2019). Contrary to the finding, patients with more top anxiety disorder significantly declined the chances to risk CVD and related mortality. Increased anxiety is associated with CAD and increased CV mortality (Bansal et al., 2019).Anxiety is placed as independent of socio-demographic appearances, lifestyle, and traditional cause CV. 

Antidepressants are subjected to pros and cons as well. For instance the efficacy of the medication is that they help reduce symptoms of depression (Bansal et al., 2019). Also, the antidepressants are prescribed by the clinician depending on the patient’s signs and symptoms making it more effective for the individual to positively respond within the shortest time possible. However, the antidepressants have its disadvantages. Available studies do not guide the clinician on whether all patients benefits from the antidepressant medication. The present research has concluded that anxiety can act as a shielding aspect against depression. The study analyzed in 2016 by Batelaam and colleagues focusing on peripheral vascular disease, and stroke found that symptoms associated with anxiety were present in high-risk causes of CV morbidity (Bansal et al., 2019). Though the information on the effect of anxiety is complex, most publication on the subject supports the relationship of anxiety with CVD and death. However, they support with reduced context as compared to the impact caused by depression for the same CVD and mortality. 

In conclusion, antidepressants have statically proved to be more useful in treating individuals suffering from serve depression. Contrary to the research expectation, anxiety is currently showing a negative relationship with antidepressant medication when depression put in control when completing meta-analysis assessment. It is, therefore, right to argue that anxiety cause some protective effect on patients developing depression other than use of antidepressants. 

References 

Bansal, R., Hellerstein, D. J., Sawardekar, S., O, N. J., & Peterson, B. S. (2019). Effects of the antidepressant medication duloxetine on brain metabolites in persistent depressive disorder: A randomized, controlled trial. PLoS ONE , 14 (7), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219679 

Ivanovs, P., Kivite, A., Ziedonis, D., Mintale, I., Vrublevksa, J. & Rancans, E. (2018). Association of depression and anxiety with the 10-year risk of cardiovascular mortality in a primary care population of Latvia using the SCORE system: Front Psychiatry, Vol. 9 (276), doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00276