Released on: May 29, 2008, 8:28 am

Press Release Author: Sheree Vinzon

Industry: Healthcare

Press Release Summary: Stroke patients have a high risk of death that is made even
higher if depression, a common side effects, sets in. New research suggests that the
use of antidepressants on stroke patients, even if they have not is played symptoms
of depression, may be a good way to prevent them from developing the mood disoreder.


Press Release Body: May 27, 2008, Chicago - Giving a patient who just had a heart
attack or other cardiovascular ailment an antidepressant as soon as they get to the
hospital might be a good idea. Depression, a common complication for people who have
had a stroke, might need to be treated before the condition actually sets in,
according to new research.

The findings are expected to increase the use of antidepressants in hospitals, as a
new instance of their use is determined. The concept is similar to how people at
risk of a heart attack are taking cholesterol medication to lower their risks.
Everyone is at risk of depression, but people who have suffered strokes are at a
higher risk factor than the average person. Using antidepressants as a preventive
measure, rather than the regular use of being a reactive treatment, is something
that might be considered a good idea.

The research team said that they gave low doses of Lexapro, a proven antidepressant,
to patients who had a stroke recently. They were found to be less likely to develop
depression than those who had been given placebo pills instead. The decrease in risk
was found to average at around 4.5 times lower than others.

According to statistics, an estimated 700,000 Americans will suffer a stroke in any
given year, with more than one-third of them developing depression within the next
two years. The depressed among them are found to recover more slowly and have a
lower rate of survival than their peers, according to studies conducted in the past.
However, reports indicating that the depression can be prevented by the use of
antidepressants, therefore, could increase the chances of survival.

Medcial experts believe that parts of the brain affecting and regulating mood can be
damaged during a stroke. The stress of having to adjust and relearn simple daily
tasks can greatly aggravate this damage, resulting in a virtual breeding ground for
depression.

Lexapro, a drug that works by increasing serotonin in the brain, is believed by Dr.
George Bartzokis to aid in the brain's self-repair process after a stroke. Dr.
Bartzokis is a professor in the University of California, Los Angeles, and was not
involved in the new study. He believes that, "treating the depression may actually
help treat the stroke and vise versa."

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