After having a heart attack, a person’s increased risk of death associated with depression persists for at least five years, according to a new study.

Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis examined more than 750 people who’d had a heart attack. They found that 163 of them had experienced major depression after their heart attack, and 195 had minor depression. Over the five-year study, the researchers found that the rate of death rose by 87 percent for people who experienced major depression, and by 76 percent higher for people who experienced any kind of depression.
 
How can you tell if you’re suffering from depression? Some symptoms include feeling sad or crying a lot, losing interest in activities that used to be fun, and changes in weight and/or appetite. Click here to read information from the American Academy of Family Physicians on depression after a heart attack.