Antidepressant Use, Depression, and Poor Cardiovascular Outcomes: The Chicken or the Egg?Comment on “Antidepressant Use and Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality Among Postmenopausal Women in the Women's Health Initiative Study”

Depression is a common comorbidity in patients with chronic heart failure, with reported incidence as high as approximately 48% in this patient population.^1-4 Studies have shown that depression in patients with heart failure is strongly associated with worse outcomes and is an independent predictor of increased mortality and hospitalization.^5-9 As a result, the use of antidepressants in this population has become more prevalent.