People living with cardiac amyloidosis — both light chain cardiac amyloidosis (AL-CA) and transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CM) — often experience high levels of anxiety and depression and would benefit from more support, according to a recent study published in the journal BMJ Open.
To better understand the link between cardiac amyloidosis and mental health, researchers analyzed data from 14 studies involving a total of 2,730 patients.
They found that the more severe someone’s heart symptoms were, the more likely they were to experience anxiety and depression. This was true for both AL-CA and ATTR-CM. But the stage of the disease — how advanced it was — didn’t seem to be linked to anxiety or depression.
The researchers think there is a two-way link between cardiac amyloidosis and mental health. Living with the condition can take a mental toll. At the same time, anxiety and depression can make it harder for people to manage their health and take medications consistently, which can make physical symptoms worse.
“Psychological support may be able to lessen the disease burden, enhance quality of life and increase adherence to the treatment of patients,” the researchers said.
Read more about ATTR-CM signs and symptoms
This connection between mental health and physical symptoms is also important in clinical trials for cardiac amyloidosis, where patients are often asked to rate the severity of their symptoms. When anxiety or depression is present, it can affect how people perceive and report their symptoms, making it harder to get an accurate picture of the disease.
“Evaluating and adequately treating not only the physical but also the psychological well-being of patients with CA turns out to be extremely important for at least two aspects. On the one hand, it allows patients to enjoy greater well-being in the [treatment] round; on the other hand, it makes the objective assessment of cardiac symptoms more accurate and reliable,” the researchers said.
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