Objective: To investigate whether depression was associated with cardiac status and socio-demographic factors in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).
Methods: The sample consisted of 144 symptomatic patients with CHD. For screening depression the Beck Depression Inventory was administered on the day before elective coronary angiography.
Results: Twenty-four per cent of patients had probable depressive disorder, but none of them had been previously identified as suffering from depression, or been treated for depression. Alexithymia and dissatisfaction with life were common in depressed patients. Logistic regression analysis showed that neither the cardiac status nor sociodemographic factors were associated with depression.
Conclusion: Depression is a common finding and should be looked for independently of other risk factors in patients with CHD.