Monday, October 31, 2011

Vulnerable Patients Experiencing Chronic Illness Depression

Depression is now considered a systemic disease that many of the individuals in the community. Recent data mention that the World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that in the year 2020 Depression is the second largest disease after heart disease and vascular disorders.

Depression is a psychiatric condition which involves a decrease in mood and feelings of loss of interest in life. People who are depressed most of the complaining is no longer able to enjoy life, it's hard to think about the future and fatigue.

Other symptoms that often arises is the difficulty sleeping, difficulty concentrating, no appetite, sexual disorders, mood an easy up and down and psychosomatic symptoms. This condition usually have already lasted more than 2 weeks until diagnosed as depressive disorder.


Many people mistakenly think that there is always a clear trigger for depression, but in practice is not always the case. There are also many cases of depression that occur without a trigger, it is increasingly clear that biological factors in the brain is to have a role in the occurrence of depression rather than psychosocial factors alone.

Depression In Patients General Medical Condition

Prevalence or incidence of depression globally is about 17% and was the highest of all the incidence of mental disorders in the community. This condition will increase when it occurs in specific conditions such as in patients with general medical illnesses and the elderly patient group.

Depression is associated with expectations of improvement of patients with general medical conditions. One risk factor ballast is the disease of depression in patients.

Unfortunately in some literature it is said that patients with general medical conditions and depression are treated at General Hospital are often not detected and the number could reach 50-86% of the literature are collected.

Depression also occurs in conditions of a growing number of patients who experience chronic chronic conditions such as stroke, diabetes, cancer, and chronic pain disorders.

Recognize the Risk Factors

It is important for clinicians working with patients with chronic disease to identify several risk factors that increase the incidence of depression in patients.

A history of previous depressive disorder, a chronic disease (chronic), illness recovery expectancy small, family history of depression, treatment of pain disorders that are not optimal are several risk factors that often make the incidence of depression in general disease conditions increases.

For that role and family physicians who treat patients with this condition is desirable active in recognizing the condition of depression. Do not Blur our view of the psychosocial factors that occur in patients who were hospitalized.

Psychiatric conditions of patients are very instrumental and plays an important role in the effort to cure the patient. Recognition and early treatment and appropriate will make the patient has a life expectancy and quality of life better. Regards Healthy Life

No comments:

Post a Comment