Women more likely than men to struggle with anxiety, depression after cardiac arrest

Women are more likely than men to experience anxiety or depressive symptoms after surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. A study by Amsterdam UMC found a 50 percent increase in antidepressant prescriptions among women in the first year after cardiac arrest, dropping to a 20 percent increase after five years. This increase was not present among male survivors, the hospital reported.

“Although we need to do more research to understand exactly why there is an increase in the number of prescriptions for antidepressants in women after cardiac arrest, this result shows us that women, in particular, need good psychological support after cardiac arrest,” researcher Robin Smits said.

A previous study by the Amsterdam researchers and partners from the University of Copenhagen showed that women were more likely to live longer after a cardiac arrest than men. “By combining these two findings, we see that the consequences of cardiac arrest differ depending on gender. While women are more likely to live longer, they are also more likely to suffer psychological problems after cardiac arrest,” Smits said.

The researchers analyzed the socio-economic data of 1,250 people who suffered a cardiac arrest outside the hospital in the Netherlands and survived. They covered a period of five years after the cardiac arrest. The average age of participants was 53 years.

In addition to anxiety and depression arising in women, the researchers found that cardiac arrest survivors struggle to return to work. “The research showed significant declines in labor participation and, therefore, income. After a cardiac arrest, another member of the family also often becomes the main earner,” Smits said.