- ALLERGY, RESPIRATORY
- Folic Acid Might Offer Allergy Relief
- Air Pollution May Raise Blood Pressure
- Herbal Remedy Could Halt Peanut Allergy
- ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
- Taking the Mystery Out of Hypnotherapy
- Relaxation Tapes or Mozart Lower Blood Pressure
- Memory Loss Help from Brain Supplement Prevagen
- ANIMAL CARE
- Rest Easy. When It Comes to Swine Flu, Your Pet Is Safe
- Animals Respond to Acupuncture's Healing Touch
- 'Comfort Dogs' Come to Emotional Rescue
- BONES & JOINTS
- Studies Struggle to Gauge Glucosamine's Worth
- Vitamin D Plus Calcium Guards Against Fractures
- Low Vitamin D Raises Women's Hip Fracture Risk
- CANCER
- Immune Therapy May Aid Kids With Neuroblastoma
- Multiple Screening Strategy Boosts Cervical Cancer Detection
- More Cancer Tests Mean More False-Positive Results
- CAREGIVING
- Caregiving May Lengthen Life
- Hispanic Children More Likely to Have Hearing Loss
- TV Watching Doesn't Fast-Track Baby's Skills
- CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
- Laughter Can Boost Heart Health
- Varicose Veins May Mask Larger Problem
- Common Antioxidant Might Slow Parkinson's
- COSMETIC
- What to Do If You Have Unsightly Veins
- Science May Banish Bad Hair Days
- The Acne Drug Accutane More Than Doubles Depression Risk
- DENTAL, ORAL
- Dental Implants Need More Work Than Root Canals
- Mom's Vitamin D Levels Affect Baby's Dental Health
- Amino Acid May Be Key to Strong Teeth
- DIABETES
- Abnormal Heart Rhythm Boosts Death Risk for Diabetics
- Findings Challenge Tight Glucose Control for Critically Ill Patients
- Fish Twice a Week Cuts Diabetics' Kidney Risks
- DIET, NUTRITION
- 6 Million U.S. Kids Lack Enough Vitamin D
- Quick Weight Loss May Be Best for Long-Term Success
- Mercury in Fish Linked to High Blood Pressure
- DISABILITIES
- Could Your Cell Phone Help Shield You From Alzheimer's?
- Review Finds Marijuana May Help MS Patients
- ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
- Childhood Food Allergies on the Rise
- Cats Can Trigger Eczema in Some Infants
- Lead Exposure in Childhood Linked to Criminal Behavior Later
- EYE CARE, VISION
- When Gauging Age, the Eyes Have It
- Sports Eye Injuries Leading Cause of Blindness in Youths
- Contact Lens Cases Often Contaminated
- FITNESS
- Early Exercise Boosts Outcomes for ICU Patients
- Research Confirms How Valuable A Healthy Lifestyle Can Be
- Walk Long, Slow and Often to Help the Heart
- GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS
- Traditional Nonsurgical GERD Treatments Not Impressive
- Bowel Prep Harder on Women Than Men
- Olive Oil May Protect Against Bowel Disease
- GENERAL HEALTH
- Want to Stop Cancer? You Can, Experts Say
- Ski Helmets Encouraged for All
- Health Gains From Lowered Smoking Rates in Jeopardy
- HEAD & NECK
- Ski Helmets Encouraged for All
- Many Children Will Outgrow Headaches
- Zen May Thicken Brain, Thwart Pain
- HEALTH & TECHNOLOGY
- Airport Full Body Scanners Pose No Health Threat: Experts
- The Internet Is Becoming One-Stop Shopping for Health Help
- Using Light Therapy to Silence Harmful Brain Activity
- HEART & CARDIOVASCULAR
- Lack of Vitamin D Linked to High Blood Pressure
- Too Much Red Meat May Shorten Life Span
- Cocoa in Chocolate May Be Good for the Heart
- INFECTIOUS DISEASE
- Swine Flu Is Now a Pandemic Says W.H.O.
- The HPV Vaccine: Preventative Medicine or Human Sacrifice?
- More Medicinal Uses for Pomegranate
- KID'S HEALTH
- Heart Defects in Newborns Linked to Antidepressants
- Music May Temper Pain in Preemies
- Exercise Helps Reduce Falls in Young and Old
- MEN'S HEALTH
- Could Chinese Herb Be a Natural Viagra?
- Low Vitamin D Levels May Boost Men's Heart Attack Risk
- Noise Hurts Men's Hearing More, Study Shows
- MENTAL HEALTH
- Bullying Seems to Affect Kids Years Later
- Love Hormone May Ease Discussion of Painful Topics
- Man's Best Friend Helps Mend Broken Hearts
- PREGNANCY
- For Baby and Mom Alike, Breast-Feeding May Be Best
- Pregnant Women Exposed To Certain Pollutants Could Lower Childs IQ
- Prenatal Stress May Boost Baby's Asthma Risk
- SENIORS
- Money May Matter, Health-Wise, in Old Age
- Life Expectancy in U.S. Hits New High
- Keeping Mentally Active Seems To Keep The Brain Active
Older Diabetics With Depression Face Higher Death Rate
By eHolistic.com Published: 10/10/2008
FRIDAY, Oct. 10 (HealthDay News) -- In a group of Medicare beneficiaries who have diabetes, being depressed was associated with a higher death rate, according to a new study.
Publishing in the October issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine, researchers from the University of Washington tracked 10,704 Medicare beneficiaries (average age of 75.6 years) who had diabetes and were enrolled in a disease management program in Florida. The participants' depression status was assessed by physician diagnosis, patient reports of antidepressant use, and answers to a brief screening test.
The researchers followed the participants for two years and recorded any deaths and causes of death that took place during that time.
The participants who had both diabetes and depression had an approximately 36 percent to 38 percent increased risk of dying from any cause. A total of 12.1 percent of these participants died during the study, compared with 10.4 percent of the participants without depression.
Participants who were treated with antidepressant medications in the year prior to the study had a 24 percent increased risk of death, compared to the participants who were not depressed. The study's authors suspect that the participants treated with antidepressants may have had more severe depression than other mildly depressed participants.
There was no difference in the incidence of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events between the participants who took antidepressants and those who were not depressed.
"Rates of mortality from vascular disease may be decreasing in recent years among patients with diabetes due to more aggressive treatment of high blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels, as well as widespread use of preventative medications such as aspirin and beta blockers," the researchers surmised.
The study's authors said there were several reasons why depression was associated with increased risk of death among the participants in their study.
First, depression has been associated with poor self-care and increased risk of poor health habits such as smoking and overeating. And, depression has been linked with nervous system disorders, endocrine system disorders, and inflammatory markers.
The authors noted that their study has certain limitations. The participants were selected from only one area of the United States, and the follow-up period was relatively short. And the study did not collect information on education, income, weight, smoking habits, physical activity, or compliance in taking medications.
More information
The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about depression.
-- Krisha McCoy
SOURCE: University of Washington Health Sciences and UW Medicine, news release, Sept. 30, 2008
Last Updated: Oct. 10, 2008
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