Depression can lead to hormonal disorders that cause hypertension, atherosclerosis, dysregulation of the immune system and derivatives of this disease
1. Depression disturbs the functions of the nervous system
Already in the last century, psychiatrists claimed that depression and chronic stress caused by it are not only a disorder that occurs only in the mental sphere, without health effects, but a serious systemic disorder that negatively affects the nervous system. Depression, acting chronically as a stressful stressful month, decomposes some of the control functions of this system against internal organs, and also disturbs some of the physiological processes and depends on these functions of the organs. This may cause psycho-physical complaints and disease complications. It is believed that this phenomenon is rooted in specific but not yet fully understood pathological biochemical mechanisms. The main "pathogen" of depression is chronic stress. The disease itself is depression, its often dramatic symptoms are undoubtedly one of the hardest stresses a person can experience. Chronic and severe stress causes specific biochemical and neurophysiological reactions, which may be the beginning of pathogenic disorders in organ functions (somatic changes). It is enough to mention here the long-lasting vascular contraction resulting from severe depressive stress, which may lead to contraction of cardiovascular disorders or biliary dyskinesias. It is known for a long time that in patients with depression more often than in others, hypertension is seen, and antidepressant therapy usually regulates to some extent this hypertension. Lowering the basic metabolism, so common in depressions, may ultimately lead to a decrease in immunity, and thus to susceptibility to infection. Finally, it should be mentioned that in depression they intensify, accepting "difficult to bear", all kinds of chronic pain. In addition, depression itself often generates the appearance of persistent pains that are resistant to treatment even with strong medications.
2. Depression and heart and circulatory diseases
Depression disturbs the hormonal balance - which initiates hypertension
Depression, acting as a stressful man for months, causes long-term stimulation of the hormonal axis: the limbic-hypothalamus system, and further the pituitary gland and then the adrenal glands. This in turn can lead to a stressed person with hypertension. This happens through increased heart rate and stimulation of kidney function and increased secretion of renin (a hormone that increases blood pressure). In the described situation, there is also an increase in resistance in the peripheral vessels of the body, which is the result of increased secretion of catecholamines. Enlarged their ejection further leads to increased blood pressure.
Promotes atherosclerosis and cardiovascular complications
Complicated hormonal-vascular games caused by depression lead not only to the formation of hypertension, but also to the development of atherosclerosis. Treatment of depression also prevents the emergence and hypertension and possible dementia caused by advanced atherosclerosis. It is also a factor increasing the risk of cardiovascular complications in people after coronary bypass grafts. In studies on significant populations of patients undergoing angioplasty, depression may have the same prognostic consequences for patients as smoking, hypertension or hypercholesterolemia.And here, too, investigating the causes of this adverse correlation, neglected treatment and poor attitude of patients to the future were recognized as factors significantly responsible for the increased mortality of these patients.
It harms the patient after a heart attack
A few years ago, the article appeared in the medical American press under the threatening title: "Why depression kills patients after myocardial infarction?" According to the authors, patients who have suffered from depression after suffering a heart attack worse follow the lifestyle modification recommendations that make it possible correction of vascular risk factors. They suggest that this fact is responsible for the results indicating a worse prognosis in these people after a heart attack in which depression developed. Usually people with depression are willing to give resignation. They do not want to follow medical recommendations. They do not change their diet to low fat, do not do regular exercise, they spend most of the year under stress. The fact is that in the 6th and 18th months after the infarction, patients with depression died more often than those without depression.
Combating depression prevents many diseases.
Diabetes and depression
Diabetologists have also observed in recent years an interesting phenomenon regarding complicated relationships between diabetes and depression. It was not stated that diabetes predisposes to the occurrence of endogenous depression. However, the onset of depression may increase the likelihood of developing type II diabetes, and periods of depression are more frequent and last longer in patients with diabetes. Of course, during periods of remission of depression, better glycemic control is achieved in people with diabetes. Such people do not follow the diet and do not apply sufficiently to medical prescriptions for pharmacotherapy. These factors aggravate their prognosis. Diabetes and the immune system
The studies have documented that depression dysregulates the patient's immune system. Dysregulation of the immune system causes a significant decrease in immunity, and this means not only an increased risk of infectious diseases, but also a risk of increased incidence of cancer.
Depression and the development of Parkinson's disease.
The latest medical press has reported that depression may also precede the development of Parkinson's disease. The fact that people with this disease often suffer from depression has been known for a long time. However, based on a retrospective study of large groups of patients, people who have previously suffered from depression have three times more likely to have Parkinson's disease than those without a history of depression.
Therapeutic conclusions
The above observations indicate the importance of control and treatment of depression in the context of the threat of many diseases. Effective therapy should be the result of close cooperation between the internist and the psychiatrist.
A message from the author for the reader
Depression is an emotional state characterized by sadness, less activity and the inability to enjoy life. It is one of the most common psychological problems. Depression, acting chronically as a stressful month, may cause health disorders and pathogenic disease complications. The whole of the study presented on our website presents typical symptoms of depression as well as its various variants. In the following chapters, we describe the principles of treatment as well as the rules of dealing with a person suffering from depression. The characteristics of depression are enriched by authentic statements of patients, descriptions of their ailments and difficulties in overcoming the disease. The author has been conducting extensive private practice for years, in which depressive patients make up the majority of applicants.
Ph.D., MD Janusz Krzyżowski. Psychiatrist
