INFLUENCE OF DEPRESSION ON STROKE RISK FACTORS – LITERATURE REVIEW

Aims: This review aims to analyse available literature on the influence of depression on risk factors of a stroke. For the purposes of this study, we treated stroke as a unified category, without differentiating between specific subtypes. The goal of this study is to provide insight into potential risks of overlooking depression in patients with heightened risk of stroke, for example patients with atrial fibrillation. Methods: Data was collected by searching publicly available database Pubmed, using articles in English, no older than 2004. Results: While depression is often overlooked as a risk factor of stroke, available data implies that it increases the risk of other, more notable risk factors. Conclusion: Depression should be taken into consideration by health professionals, when assessing the risk of stroke. It contributes to the elevation of risk for prevalent risk factors. It should be screened for, diagnosed and treated in patients with high risk of stroke, for example, in patients with atrial fibrillation.