Living With Cardiovascular Disease: The Connection Between Mental Health And Quality Of Life

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Depression and anxiety have been identified as common factors occurring with advanced heart disease. An unhealthy lifestyle, such as poor dietary habits or improper coping mechanisms is correlated with the onset of anxiety and depression. Patients with cardiovascular disease that are faced with various stressors as well as depression and anxiety are at risk for poor prognosis of their disease and an overall decreased quality of life. A systematic review was conducted using the CINAHL PLUS database to determine what mental health factors affect the outcome for individuals with cardiovascular disease. The results of this systematic review of seven academic articles outlined five themes that influence the quality of life for individuals with cardiovascular disease. The themes are (a) life satisfaction; (b) socioeconomic status and emotional state; (c) anxiety and fear; (d) stress and distress; and (e) depressive disorders. These results help to identify specific interventions that health care providers should implement when caring for patients with cardiovascular disease. Healthcare professionals should continuously monitor the mental status of their patients with cardiovascular disease, in order to treat their patients. By doing so this has the potential to reduce the progression of heart disease and improve their overall quality of life.