Australian researchers have revealed that if cardiac patients undergo a larger screening for anxiety and depression than there would be decline in the number of deaths and hospital readmissions.

A senior researcher with the Heart Research Centre, Alyna Turner, discloses that proper examination of the psychological conditions of patients after heart attacks is not conducted. She further said that it depends to a large extent on the resources of cardiac centers. The study published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry.

Dr. Turner conducted the research with other researchers from University of Newcastle. The researchers found that patients who had severe anxiety have more chances of getting readmitted to hospital after a heart attack. Also, the people with depression stayed in the hospital for a longer duration.

The study found that severe anxiety was comparable to having had a heart attack earlier or a serious heart surgery in terms of the risk it presented.

Dr. Turner disclosed that many patients are of the view that emotional aspect of the disease is not being taken care of in the present health care system. Therefore, she said that it is important for people with heart diseases to be also kept psychologically healthy.