Heart Disease, Diabetes, Depression a Deadly Mix

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"Talk to your doctor and check whether you can get help for your depression, either through medicines or through changes in your life, like social activities or exercise," Watkins advised.

One expert said the findings confirm previous data.

"This is an interesting study that replicates earlier work showing that symptoms of depression are associated with survival in persons with coronary artery disease," said Robert M. Carney, a professor of psychiatry and director of the Behavioral Medicine Center at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

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Other studies have shown that depression is very common in patients with diabetes, and it is associated with poorer metabolic control and long-term complications in these patients, Carney said.

"The researchers also report a possible interaction between depression and diabetes in patients with coronary artery disease, such that having both disorders may more than additively increase the risk for mortality," the expert noted.

"This is potentially a very important finding, as it suggests a possible link between these two risk factors," Carney said. "This could help to identify those individuals at highest risk for dying and possibly lead to novel treatment strategies to improve survival in these patients."

More information

For more information on depression and diabetes, visit the American Diabetes Association.

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