Periodontitis: review suggests association with increased carotid intima-media thickness

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We look at another new review that considers an association between periodontitis and a surrogate marker of cardiovascular disease. Most of the included studies are observational and they suggests an association between increased carotid intima-media thickness and periodontitis

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Can treating periodontitis help prevent heart disease?

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Periodontal disease is associated with cardiovascular disease. This Cochrane review looks at whether treating periodontal disease can prevent further heart disease. Unfortunately the available evidence is limited to a single trial at high risk of bias.

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Bridging the gap: low intensity collaborative care for patients with recent cardiac events can improve mental health and quality of life

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There are many interfaces in mental health services, such as the one between physical and mental health. Where there are interfaces, there are inevitably gaps for patients to fall through. Consequently opportunities are missed to treat mental health problems in those with physical health problems. There is mounting evidence for the effectiveness of Collaborative Care (CC) [read the full story…]

Periodontal treatment improved several biomarkers of atherosclerotic disease

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In recent years that has been increasing interest in the associations between periodontal disease and a range of systematic diseases.  Towards the end of last year a joint workshop organized by the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) and the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) took place in Spain.  The full papers from that meeting are [read the full story…]

Financial incentives don’t increase depression screening for patients with chronic illness

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The lines between physical health and mental health are blurred in lots of ways, and one example is the fact that people with chronic physical conditions are also more likely to suffer from depression. As well as adding to their burden of illness, there’s also some evidence that those patients with comorbid depression have worse [read the full story…]

Do interventions proven to improve cardiovascular disease outcomes work for individuals with severe mental illness?

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Individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) have shortened life expectancies compared to the general population. This is partly down to higher rates of chronic physical illness. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among patients using mental health services. It is assumed that interventions used to reduce CVD are similarly effective in patients with [read the full story…]

Treatment of depression after a heart attack does not improve the long-term risk of adverse cardiac events but may increase survival

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Although there have been huge advances in the treatment of heart disease, it is still the UK’s biggest killer (more information on heart disease can be found at the British Heart Foundation’s website). Depression after a heart attack is common (roughly 20% prevalence) and can worsen heart disease and increase the risk of death.  A [read the full story…]

Healthy Active Lives (HeAL): tackling premature death in young people with psychosis

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The Healthy Active Lives (HeAL) international consensus statement aims to reverse the trend of people with severe mental illness dying early by tackling risks for future physical illnesses pro-actively and much earlier. The statement is being launched today by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, at a special event focusing on achieving parity between mental and [read the full story…]

Limited evidence suggests that co-morbid chronic physical illness may not increase risk for recurrence in depression

Depression

There is a widespread clinical presumption that people who have both major depressive disorder (MDD) and a co-morbid chronic physical illness represent a ‘double trouble’ group. This leads to the expectation that the depression prognosis for these people would be poor with increasing likelihood of recurrence. Evidence supports the view that depression is prevalent among [read the full story…]

Depression increases risk of all cause mortality (not just heart disease) in diabetes

Depression is associated with mortality of all causes

This blog is coming across the woodland in stereo as the Diabetes and Mental Elf join forces. In 2011 the Diabetes Elf highlighted Depression and Diabetes: a two way street? a systematic review looking at cause and effect of diabetes and depression and the link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease is not contested. However moving forward [read the full story…]