BBC News (8/1, Selvadurai) reports, “People with mild mental illnesses, such as anxiety or depression, are more likely to die early,” according to a study published online July 31 in the BMJ. For the study, researchers “looked at data over 10 years and matched it to information on death certificates.” They found that “low level distress raised the risk by 16%, once lifestyle factors such as drinking and smoking were taken into account,” and that “more serious problems increased it by 67%.”

The UK’s Telegraph (8/1, Adams) reports that people with subclinical anxiety or depression may also be “at a 29 per cent increased risk of dying from ‘external causes’ like road accidents and suicide, although these only accounted for a tiny proportion of deaths.” Previously, “it had been thought that depressed or anxious people were more likely to die early because they failed to take good care of themselves — perhaps smoking and drinking more, eating worse and doing less exercise.” However, according to the study’s lead author, stress may alter “the physiology of the body to make it intrinsically less healthy,” somehow making it more susceptible to stroke and heart attacks.

“Professor Glyn Lewis, of the University of Bristol, reviewed the findings for the journal and said they add to evidence suggesting a causal association between psychological distress and heart disease, although it is not clear how to intervene,” the UK’s Daily Mail (8/1, Watson) reports.

WebMD (8/1, Goodman) reports, “The study findings did not surprise Viola Vaccarino, MD, PhD, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at Emory University in Atlanta who studies the role of depression in heart disease.” Dr. Vaccarino, who was not involved in the study, stated, “Clearly there is evidence that depression is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and total mortality as well.”

Related Links:

— “Mild mental illness ‘raises risk of premature death’, “Emily Selvadurai, BBC News, August 1, 2012.

Reuters (7/31, Rosen) reports that, according to a study by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Alaska Native men in their twenties may face a very high risk of suicide. Researchers found that individuals from this group commit suicide at a rate that is roughly 13 times higher than the US average.

Related Links:

— “Study: Young Alaska Native men at high risk for suicide, “Yereth Rosen, Chicago Tribune, July 30, 2012.

MedWire (7/31, Cowen) reports, “Symptoms of elation and irritability are significantly associated with an increased likelihood for developing bipolar disorder (BD),” according to a study published online July 27 in the Journal of Affective Disorders. The study findings “come from a study of 40,512 individuals who participated in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) who did not meet criteria for mania/hypomania at baseline in 2001-2002.”

Related Links:

— “Elation and irritability increase BD risk, “Mark Cowen, MedWire News, July 31, 2012.

The Augusta (GA) Chronicle (7/25, Martin) noted, “An online chat service of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ national crisis hot line has experienced a 62 percent increase over last year, according to information provided” by the department. The Chronicle added, “The data are further evidence that veterans are responding to…VA’s increasing use of technology, said Lisa Gerardot, the suicide prevention case manager at the uptown VA hospital in Augusta. It’s especially critical that resources are accessible from different points because with younger veterans, ‘it’s a reflex for them to reach for an electronic device,’ she said.”

Related Links:

— “Online technology shows veterans reaching out crisis help, “Kyle Martin, The AUgusta Chronicle, July 24, 2012.

MedPage Today (7/26, Kaiser) reports, “Stroke survivors are at an increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which in turn increases the likelihood of poor medication adherence,” according to a 535-patient study published in the August issue of the journal Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association. “Two-thirds (67%) of those who were diagnosed with PTSD following stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) were not compliant with their medication,” the study found. “After adjusting for demographic and clinical predictors of non-adherence, PTSD was associated with a nearly threefold increase in the risk of medication noncompliance,” researchers reported.

Related Links:

— “PTSD May Be Barrier to Stroke Recovery, “Chris Kaiser, MedPage Today, July 25, 2012.