Assessing perinatal depression as an indicator of risk for pregnancy-associated cardiovascular disease

Cardiovasc J Afr. 2016 Mar-Apr;27(2):119-22. doi: 10.5830/CVJA-2015-087.

Abstract

Cardiovascular conditions associated with pregnancy are serious complications. In general, depression is a well-known risk indicator for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Mental distress and depression are associated with physiological responses such as inflammation and oxidative stress. Both inflammation and oxidative stress have been implicated in the pathophysiology of CVDs associated with pregnancy. This article discusses whether depression could represent a risk indicator for CVDs in pregnancy, in particular in pre-eclampsia and peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM).

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cardiomyopathies / diagnosis
  • Cardiomyopathies / etiology*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / complications*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / diagnosis
  • Cardiovascular System / physiopathology*
  • Depression / diagnosis
  • Depression / etiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / diagnosis
  • Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / etiology*
  • Risk Factors