Anxiety and mood disorders are independent risk factors for cardiovascular diseases

Objective Psychiatric conditions are insufficiently highlighted as cardiovascular risk factors in the CVRM guideline. Objectives of this review are 1) to determine if anxiety and mood symptoms/disorders are independent cardiovascular risk factors; 2) to compare this risk to a population without these psychiatric conditions and 3) to ascertain the influence of psychiatric disease severity. Design Narrative systematic review METHOD: We searched for meta-analyses and systematic reviews in PubMed. Quality assessment by AMSTAR criteria. Results 10 reviews were included from 172 hits. (Sub)clinical depression and mood disorders are associated with an increased independent risk to develop cardiovascular diseases, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular disease. Bipolar disorders increase the cerebrovascular risk, but not myocardial infarction. Anxiety disorders/symptoms heighten the cardiovascular, myocardial and cerebrovascular risk. Conclusion Anxiety and mood symptoms/disorders are independent cardiovascular risk factors. Severe anxiety and mood disorders should be included as separate risk factors in the CVRM guideline.