A retired heart transplant surgeon and dedicated medical researcher, John Macoviak MD MBA has been a respected member of the medical community for more than four decades. Passionate about sharing his medical expertise with the public, John Macoviak MD MBA actively writes articles about different medical conditions. This includes an online article he wrote discussing heart disease in women, and common risk factors such as depression.
When people are depressed, they often experience low-grade inflammation, which contributes to the clogging of arteries. Beyond that, people who are depressed experience a higher production rate of stress hormones. Stress hormones contribute to artery blockages by activating platelets in the blood and making them more likely to clot. Such hormones also limit how much the arteries and heart respond to requests for increased blood flow in the body. Both factors increase the risk of heart disease in people with depression.
Depression increases the risk of heart disease in other ways as well. People who are depressed commonly experience lower energy levels or a lack of motivation. As a result, they struggle with eating healthy foods and maintaining a regular exercise routine. Such lifestyle choices are essential for reducing various cardiovascular and other health issues.
This change in motivation and energy additionally leads to disruptions in people’s medication behavior. They may take medicines incorrectly, or skip taking their medications altogether. Further, people who are depressed have a higher likelihood of self-medicating with alcohol or smoking.
John Macoviak 