Prevalence of undiagnosed common mental disorders and its association with quality of life among patients attending the arrhythmia clinic of a large tertiary care hospital in Southern India

Objective: Studies are available from high-income countries exploring the prevalence of depression and anxiety among patients with cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. Similar data are limited from low- and middle-income countries, particularly India. Data on how the quality of life (QOL) parameters are affected by common mental disorders (CMD) such as depression and anxiety are lacking. The aim of this study is to explore the prevalence of undiagnosed depression and anxiety in patients attending the arrhythmia clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Southern India and to look at their association with QOL. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 282 patients attending the arrhythmia clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Southern India. Depression and anxiety were assessed using the “Patient Health Questionnaire-9” scale and “Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale for Anxiety” scale, respectively. Patient demographics and potential risk factors were also assessed. Quality of life was assessed using the “Short Form Health Survey” questionnaire. Results: The proportion of patients with undiagnosed CMD (depression or anxiety or both) in our study was 45.74%. This included 32.98% with undiagnosed depression and 32.62% with undiagnosed anxiety. The presence of depression and anxiety are important determinants of quality of life. Presence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or smoking is not significantly associated with a poor quality of life in our study. Conclusions: Depression and anxiety are important associations of a poor quality of life. They are commonly seen among those attending the outpatient arrhythmia clinic. Having a screening program for CMD may assist in early diagnosis and intervention in those attending arrhythmia clinics.