Depression, anxiety and emotional adjustment after a cardiac event

Many patients experience emotional distress following a cardiac event. While for most this is normal and will improve over the following months, some patients are at risk of ongoing depression and anxiety and will require intervention. Health professionals are often unsure about how to approach patients to talk about their mood, how to differentiate between normal adjustment and clinically significant distress, and what to do if they suspect their patient needs further help.

This brief and practical workshop will draw on the latest research and clinical experience of the presenters to provide participants with skills to assess and detect depression and anxiety disorders in cardiac patients. The likely trajectories of recovery of depressive symptoms will be presented, as well as the impact of depression and anxiety on health behaviours, recovery and prognosis. 'Red flags' will be provided to assist practitioners to differentiate depression from a 'normal adjustment response' following an acute event. The important issues and questions that health professionals need to consider when approaching patients, conducting assessments, setting goals and planning follow-up care will be discussed.