Psychotropic medication use tied to 1-year mortality in patients with heart disease
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Among patients with cardiac disease, nearly 20% used psychotropic medications, and psychotropic medication use was linked to elevated risk for 1-year mortality, researchers reported.
The researchers analyzed 12,913 patients hospitalized for ischemic heart disease, arrhythmias, HF or valvular heart disease who were included in the DenHeart Survey.
“Our study shows that the use of psychotropic drugs is common in those with heart disease. In addition, almost one in three patients had symptoms of anxiety. Patients with cardiac illnesses should be systematically assessed for mental disorders, and asked whether they use psychotropic medications and for what reason,” Pernille Fevejle Cromhout, PhD, of the department of cardiothoracic anesthesiology at Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark, said in a press release.
Cromhout and colleagues found that 18% of the cohort used psychotropic medications within 6 months before hospitalization, 32% reported symptoms of anxiety and 3% died within 1 year of hospitalization. Among those who used psychotropic medications, the most common classes were benzodiazepines (68%) and antidepressants (55%).
In the patient population, use of a psychotropic medication was associated with elevated odds of 1-year mortality (users, 6%; nonusers, 2%; OR = 1.9; 95% CI, 1.46-2.46), whereas patients who reported symptoms of anxiety were more likely to use psychotropic medications than those who did not (28% vs. 14%; OR = 2.47; 95% CI, 2.25-2.72), according to the researchers.
“It is important to remember that being prescribed a psychotropic drug is an indication of a mental disorder, which might in itself contribute to an increased risk of death,” Cromhout said in the release. “Further research is needed to evaluate whether the higher mortality is due to the use of psychotropic medication or the underlying mental illness.
“Patients with heart disease who suffer from anxiety should inform the health care professionals involved in their treatment as they would do with any other coexisting condition,” Cromhout said. “They should also ask that their anxiety is recognized as important and equal to their heart disease.”
Reference:
- Nearly one in five patients with heart disease use mental health drugs. https://www.escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-Office/Press-releases/Nearly-one-in-five-patients-with-heart-disease-use-mental-health-drugs. Published Jan. 10, 2022. Accessed Jan. 11, 2022.
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