Depression and bipolar disorder increase the risk of heart disease not only in adults but also in adolescents, scientists have found.
Depression and bipolar disorder are very common among young people, for example, in the US they affect about 10% of young people. Globally, depression is the leading cause of disability in adolescents, with bipolar disorder ranked fourth.
Depression (more precisely, a depressive disorder) is characterized by a constant oppressive feeling of sadness, longing, loss of interest in activities that were previously enjoyable. Bipolar disorder manifests itself in the form of abrupt transitions between periods of depression and abnormally elevated mood, unjustified self-confidence, irritability, reduced need for sleep.
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The American Heart Association, after extensive analysis of the data, made an official statement that adolescents with mood disorders are more likely to have the following risk factors for cardiovascular disease:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Obesity – especially in the abdomen
- Type XNUMX diabetes
- Atherosclerosis
The reasons, scientists believe, may be associated with inflammatory processes, which are more common in adolescents with mood disorders. Although these patients are prone to unhealthy lifestyles (often they smoke, use drugs and do not exercise enough), this is not the reason for the tendency to heart disease. Also, it is not explained by taking medications. Many drugs that are recommended for mood disorders contribute to obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. However, most of the adolescents who took part in the studies were not taking medication.
In this regard, experts from the American Heart Association emphasize the importance of early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease in adolescents with mood disorders.
Подробнее см. B. Goldstein et al. «Major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder predispose youth to accelerated atherosclerosis and early cardiovascular disease», Circulation, August 2015.
