What Is The Usual Rate Of Depression After A Stressful Event Like A Heart Attack?

— -- Question: What is the usual rate of depression after a stressful event like a heart attack?

Answer: Well, it really depends on what the stressful event is, but if you take 50 to 80 year old men and women, and you take the heart attack as the stress, it's my experience that at least half of the patients will have a short period of depression following this event.

In fact, it's almost normal to be anxious, despondent, and down after such a life changing medical event. But if it lasts more than a month, if it's going on into your life, probably it ranges from one in four to one in five people will suffer that.

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