People who have experienced a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) experience high rates of depression , but up to two-thirds of them are undertreated, according to newfindings from Duke University Medical Center. Daniel Laskowitz, M.D., a professor of medicine at Duke and thesenior author of the study published in the American HeartAssociation journal Stroke , called the findings "striking." Because depression was just as common in TIA, which typically doesnot result in disabilities as a stroke can, "the findings suggestthis is not just a simple association between depression and thefunctional impairment typically associated with stroke," Laskowitzsaid. Rather, several factors may be responsible. The brain injuryassociated with stroke and TIA might cause the depression, or thevascular risk factors that predispose patients to stroke and TIAmay also put them at risk for depression. An estimated 5.4 million Americans live with the effects of stroke,according to the National Stroke Association. Stroke occurs when ablood clot blocks an artery or a blood vessel breaks. That caninterrupt blood flow to the brain, which can kill brain cells andresult in disabilities. Less is known about the incidence of TIA,which is defined as a brief episode of neurological dysfunction. The study included 1,450 adults with ischemic stroke and 397 withTIA from 99 hospitals in the U.S. Three months afterhospitalization, depression affected 17.9 percent of strokepatients and 14.4 percent of TIA patients. At 12 months, depressionaffected 16.4 percent of stroke patients and 12.8 percent of TIApatients. Nearly 70 percent of stroke and TIA patients withpersistent depression weren't treated with antidepressant therapyat either the 3- or 12-month intervals. "The high rates of undertreated depression seen in this studydemonstrate the need for depression screening in these patientpopulations," says Nada El Husseini, M.D, a stroke fellow at Dukeand the first author of the study "It should become standardprocedure to screen for depression after stroke and TIA." El Husseini also stresses that patients should be better informedabout their increased risk for depression. "When I see patients inclinic, it's rare for them to say they are feeling depressed. Butif I ask them, they tell me how they feel. If they knew more aboutthe association between depression, stroke and TIA, they may bemore likely to bring up these symptoms with their providers." Additional References Citations. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as Volvo DVD GPS Manufacturer , Mitsubishi DVD Player for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits BMW Car DVD Player.
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