Statins and Aspirin Curb Depression

[MichaelJH]

STATINS, aspirin, antibiotics and fish oils have been shown to curb symptoms of major depression and significantly increase the effectiveness of common antidepressants. So two of the heart medications most of us take have beneficial side effects.

heraldscotland.com/news/179...

[Snowdrops_17]

Hi Michael. Dont believe everything as have to disagree with you there. Vitamin D3 is what people lack if they don't get enough of this vitamin. It can cause depression in people. So my brother, Dr.med Jürgen Weinand, recommended vitamin d3 to me as I often suffer from depression during the winter month.

Please don't believe everything as it can confuse people..... and this time what you say here is not correct. Severe depression needs treatment from a GP, codliver oil and vitamin d3 is also helpful.

Statins and Aspirin, na, that's rubbish Michael, sorry to be blunt! 🙄

Modern lifestyles is causing more mental health issues in the western world, starting from teenagers to adults, school, work and family pressures and also unhealthy diets can cause depression in people. There are so many factors which can cause a mental break down.

I had one 2011 so it took me at least 2 years to recover. And then I still got bouts of depression in the winter.

My son experienced a mental break down too after working, studying and having a family to look after. As a result his marriage broke up and he didn't talk to me for 2 years. It was a heart wrenching and very sad time for me as his Mother. I praise God, that we both came out the other side and we can face our lives individually in our workplaces and private lives.

May be now you understand this why I said, don't believe everything you read Michael 👍

[StevepH2012]

Hmmm...when first discovered BAV I was put on Atorvarstatin.

After a few weeks my children were calling me Mr Angry, my sleep was poor and I found myself becoming tearful for no apparent reason. This was the only medication I was taking. Prior to this I was used to handling 'pressure work situations in objective, calm manner; very rarely snapped at my family: a

generally 'laid back' person.

After halving the dosage these classic depressive symptoms all but disappeared - obvious conclusion was that the station caused depression.

Only my experience obviously and everyone is different - but to my mind a fact and something that our health chiefs seem to all but deny.

[Snowdrops_17 in reply to StevepH2012]

Hi Steve, was prescribed 80mg Atorvastatin plus take ramipril 2.5mg, aspirin 75mg, bisoprolol 2.5mg, Ticagrelor 90mg twice a day.

How much mg Atorvastatin did you take???? I take mine in the evening!

[StevepH2012 in reply to Snowdrops_17]

Hi,

As others point out - none of us on this board are in a particularly happy place and interaction between drugs is well proven to produce 'interesting' side effects.

My dosage was 'only' 20mg which I took 1st thing in the morning. It was (and is) my only medication.

Steve

[Wooodsie]

When I first read your post, I was heartened, good to hear some advantages for a change. Then I read the replies which were depressing in their own right.

Recently diagnosed, I have fallen into depression, who wouldn't?, the replies make me think it's the meds that are making me depressed. Actually, my thoughts are that this whole heart business is going to get anyone down, we are living with a potentially fatal disease after all.

I cope by believing that at least, with exercise and a healthy diet, I am in more control than someone diagnosed with cancer, ms, alzheimer's etc. those people can ONLY rely on medication and their doctors, they have no say in the outcome.

So thanks Micheal, anything that brings a smile is good news and if you believe in the study, good on you, I will believe in it too, even if it's a placebo, it's better than nothing and nay sayers (no offence folks), but do try to look on the bright side, it isn't if it works, but if you BELIEVE it works that matters.

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Wooodsie]

I think depression goes with heart disease. It seems particularly so where people who thought themselves fit suddenly have a cardic event. I was expecting problems because of an appaling family history. When later I was waiting for my bypass I was told by the soothsayers that I would be badly depressed afterwards. When I came round I felt like the victim of a Big Daddy Splash but was free of the angina and breathlessness! A friend had a triple bypass and a friend's wife triple valve surgery and we were all happy to be alive and as time passed healthier than where we were! I suspect more support is needed for some people and rather earlier in the process.

[NorthantsSteve in reply to MichaelJH]

A really interesting thread. Thanks, Michael. This piece is interesting. Depression is twice as likely in people with heart disease and depressions linked to low grade inflammation and production of stress hormones - which can cause or exacerbate heart conditions. That’s why it’s important to seek help (or another reason I suppose) if you’re suffering with depression. health.harvard.edu/heart-he...

[JonathanH]

All interesting stuff, thank you Michael. No doubt these results relate to a probability across a population and, therefore, won't apply to everyone. Nonetheless, we can all take encouragement from the news.

I confess that I was surprised to see statins in the list, as I thought they are supposed to damage the brain by suppressing cholesterol synthesis there - or so the anti-statin people argue. Well, there we are.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

A Cambridge Psychiatrist Prof Ed Bullmore wrote a book about his research suggesting there is a connection between inflammation and some types of depression.

All very interesting stuff.

The Inflamed Mind: A radical new approach to depression amazon.co.uk/dp/1780723504/...

[Chappychap]

"waiting for my bypass I was told by the soothsayers that I would be badly depressed afterwards"

That's certainly not been my experience. After my CABG (one year ago) I've exercised regularly and am eating healthily. I feel fantastic! I'm more active, alert, and engaged with life, generally I feel twenty years younger.

We're all different, but personally speaking that heart bypass operation was the best thing that's ever happened!