An investigation of depressive and anxiety symptoms among cardiac X-syndrome patients

AIM: To investigate psychosocial factors such as depression and anxiety of some cardiac X-syndrome patients and to offer some suggestions for psychological intervention and drug therapy for these patients. METHODS: Zung’s self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were used to assess the depressive and anxiety symptoms among 132 cardiac X-syndrome patients. Effects of educational level and medical insurance assignment were also explored. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of depressive and anxiety symptoms of cardiac X-syndrome patients was 68.9%. SAS and SDS scores of patients with cardiac X-syndrome were significantly higher compared with Chinese norms (P<0.01) and SAS and SDS scores were significantly different in cardiac X-syndrome patients of different educational levels and medical insurance assignments (P<0.01 and P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Most cardiac X-syndrome patients suffer from anxiety and depression, which are influenced by patients' educational level and medical insurance assignment.