'Mental Distress Following Heart Attack Can Increase Risk Of Another Cardiac Event'

Persistent psychological distress following a heart attack event and lasting up to 12 months could increase the risk of another cardiac event by nearly 1.3 times, according to a study.

- Press Trust Of India

Recognising and treating psychological distress with strategies such as cognitive behav-ioural therapy, antidepressants and stress reduction techniques could help improve mental health, emotional well-being and quality of life for survivors, researchers said.

The team from the American Heart Association said about 33-50 per cent of heart attack survivors are estimated to suffer psychological symptoms, including depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), all of which can affect physical recovery and long-term health.