Depression and anxiety status of patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillator and precipitating factors

Background: Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are life-saving devices in treatment of life-threatening arrhythmia. We evaluate the emotional status of Turkish patients with ICD and try to explain factors that affect emotional status of the patients. Methods: Ninety-one patients with previously implanted ICD were included in the study. Follow-up periods, presence of ICD shock, shock frequency, time of the recent shock, age, and gender were noted. Depression and anxiety scores were evaluated according to Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) chart. Results: Mean anxiety and depression scores were found as 9.1 +/- 5.3 and 7.2 +/- 5.1, respectively. According to HAD charts, 42 patients (46%) had anxiety and 37 patients (41%) had depression. Depression scores indicated significant difference between subgroups divided on the basis of follow-up periods (P = 0.026) and on the basis of time of recent shock (P = 0.028). There was significant difference in anxiety scores (P = 0.016) between patients with ICD shocks and patients with no shocks. When the patients were divided into subgroups according to shock frequency, both depression (P = 0.024) and anxiety (P = 0.016) scores presented significant difference. In female patients, depression and anxiety scores were found significantly higher compared to male patients (P = 0.046 and P = 0.016, respectively). In multivariate analysis, gender and shock frequency were found as predictors for anxiety scores (P = 0.019 and P = 0.044, respectively). However same analysis revealed no predictive factor for depression score. Conclusion: Our study indicates presence of depression and anxiety in nearly half of the patients with ICD. Consultation with psychiatry should be a part of the treatment for patients with ICD, especially for those who constitute high-risk groups.