Definitions and distinctions among depressive syndromes and symptoms: Implications for a better understanding of the depression-cardiovascular disease association

Objective: A prognostic role for depressive disorder presence and/or elevated depressive symptoms in the onset and recurrence of cardiovascular disease has been largely supported. Depression is a multifaceted disorder, encompassing a wide range of somatic, cognitive, and mood symptoms; it varies in intensity, duration, frequency, course, and family history;, it can be assessed continuously or categorically; it can be obtained by interview or by self-report; and importantly, the cardiac prognostic impact of these distinctions may vary. We provide an overview of definitions and possible assessment of depression, and we discuss key assessment distinctions. Conclusion: Examining the predictive ability of these key distinctions of depression for acute coronary syndrome recurrence would be of benefit to future research in this field.