A new study from Intermountain Healthcare shows that depression and anxiety were heightened during the coronavirus pandemic, which in turn put patients at greater risk for developing heart disease. The findings of this study were presented during the American Heart Association’s 2021 Scientific Session.Researchers in Salt Lake City found an increase in visitors to the emergency department from patients experiencing anxiety and chest pain.
Cardiovascular epidemiologist and the study’s principal investigator Heidi T. May says the findings are “significant.” She says the study “highlights the importance of screening patients and providing mental health resources that they need.”
The study also found that the odds of patients with depression visiting an emergency room for anxiety were 2.8 times greater than those without depression. May says this information is vital because, unfortunately, the pandemic is still not over.
