Patients with mood disorders are about 40% more likely to develop circulatory diseases than those without mental health conditions, Australian researchers say.

“We found that women with anxiety disorders have a 50% increased risk of developing a heart condition or stroke,” said lead researcher Professor John McGrath from the Queensland Brain Institute at the University of Queensland.

“Over 15 years, one in three women with anxiety disorders will develop these medical disorders.” 

In another example looking at gastrointestinal disease, men with substance use disorders such as alcohol dependence were found to have a 400% increased risk of gut or liver conditions, with one-in-five odds of developing one.