A heartfelt sadness – What is the connection between depression and heart disease?

The evidence is clear – people who suffer from heart disease also have a high risk of depression. In fact, about 1 in 3 people hospitalized for a heart problem show symptoms of mild to moderate depression. But what is the connection? Does the stress of heart disease increase a person's risk of becoming depressed? Or is it the other way around?

Either way, with an estimated 70,000 heart attacks in Canada every year, we are caring for a lot of broken and damaged hearts. We need to take a closer look at the link between heart health and mental health. Could an early screening or intervention of those at risk for clinical depression reduce or prevent some of the burden? How can we distinguish between clinical depression and the normal "blues" that often follows a traumatic event, such as bypass surgery? Join us to share your thoughts and hear what experts in mental health and circulatory health research have to say.

Space is limited, so please RSVP:  cafescientifique@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

This free event is presented by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and its Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health, in partnership with the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010, 6 p.m.
Mezzo Ristorante and Lounge
804 Erie Street East, Windsor, Ontario

Experts:

Sherry Grace, PhD
Scientist, Toronto General Research Institute
Associate Professor, KaHS
Faculty of Health
York University

Scott Patten,
MD, FRCP(C), PhD
Professor, Departments of Community Health
Sciences and Psychiatry
University of Calgary

Margaret Steele, MD
Chair, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry
University of Western Ontario

Moderator:

Marlys Koschinsky, PhD
Professor
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Dean, Faculty of Science, University of Windsor