A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION WITH PERSONALITY, HOSTILITY AND STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS IN PATIENTS ADMITTED WITH ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Illness of the body will affect the mind and vice versa. Emotional stress and physical
illness has a causal relationship. The epidemic of coronary heart disease started in India in the past two
decades. This study was undertaken to study anxiety and depression with personality, hostility and stressful life events in
patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
METHODS: 60 patients diagnosed with acute coronary artery syndrome were selected. Tools like Hospital anxiety and
depression scale (HADS), Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI), Presumptive stressful life events scale (PSLES), Hostility and
direction of hostility (HDH) were applied and Chi-square test, Karl Pearson's correlation coefcient and student t test were
applied to the data. The results obtained were studied.
RESULTS: Among the 60 patients with acute coronary syndrome, 46.7% (n=28) had depressive symptoms, 45% (n=27) had
anxiety symptoms. Acute Coronary Syndrome patients with depressive features had increase in neuroticism scores as well
as increased frequency of stressful life events and a direct positive correlation was observed between PSLES score and life
events with HADs Anxiety scores.
CONCLUSION: Study of psychiatric morbidities in particular anxiety and depression in patients with acute coronary syndrome
revealed signicant association with depression, anxiety, neuroticism, hostility and life events. The present study and those
numerous other studies that have parallel results found in the literature, underlines the need to screen for anxiety and
depressive symptoms in patients with ACS, so that appropriate intervention can be incorporated in the management plan.