Cardiovascular disease and depression are intimately related illnesses. Car
diovascular mortality is mote common in persons with depression, and depres
sion following a myocardial infarction is associated with significantly poo
rer cardiac outcome. Safe and effective simultaneous treatment of depressio
n and cardiovascular illness can be difficult because of the interplay betw
een these conditions. We examine the evidence for cardiovascular effects of
depression, as well as the proposed mechanism for these effects. We also r
eview the cardiovascular effects of antidepressant treatments and the mood-
altering effects of common cardiovascular medications. Articles reviewed we
re derived from a Medline search of English-language articles published bet
ween 1970 and 1998.