When Her Heart Suffers

Heart disease can cause emotional heartbreak, too—but support helps

When a woman has a heart attack or is diagnosed with heart disease, her emotional heart can suffer, too. More than ever before, she needs support from family and friends.

“Heart disease is a wake-up call about our mortality,” says psychiatrist Susan Wiley, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “Nearly 20 percent of patients become depressed—and women are twice as prone as men.”

Why? For one thing, women are generally at greater risk for depression. Research into the heart disease connection isn’t complete. “But it appears that women who don't have the vigor to fulfill their roles feel stressed about that, and even may lose their sense of identity,” Wiley says. And women often don’t get the personal support that helps prevent depression, says her colleague, cardiologist Bruce Feldman, D.O. “For example, they often feel less comfortable going to cardiac rehabilitation because it’s mainly a male environment,” he says. “But they miss out on the social support that’s part of rehab, and can become isolated.”

Depression isn’t just about feelings; it affects physical recovery. A female heart disease patient is twice as likely to die if she’s depressed, researchers have found. “She may not have the motivation to exercise, eat right and follow her physician’s advice,” Feldman says.

If a woman you care about is coping with this problem, how can you help?

First, learn to recognize depression. “Your loved one may feel briefly tired and blue after a heart attack, but she should be able to follow her doctor’s orders and be eager to recover fully,” Wiley says. “If she loses her sense of humor and interest in her usual activities, sleeps poorly and feels down and hopeless, she is probably clinically depressed.”

Tell her, “I notice you don’t have your usual zest.” “Reassure her she’s not just imagining things and that she can get better,” Wiley says. “Encourage her to discuss her emotions with her doctor.” Medication and counseling can help.

Offer to attend support programs with her. Encourage her to enroll in stress-relieving programs like WomenHeart, cardiac rehab, the Dr. Dean Ornish Program and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. “Don’t be fearful of letting her do too much too soon,” Feldman says. “Help her take those steps to get out and enjoy life again.”

Want to Know More about support for women with heart disease, including the programs mentioned here? Click here.

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