The effects of agomelatine on heart rate variability in patients with anxiety-depressive disorders who suffered acute coronary syndrome

Aim: to study the changes in heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with anxiety and depressive disorders who suffered acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and to determine the effects of antidepressant agomelatine on HRV and sleep quality during six-month follow up.Material and Methods. The study included 54 people with ACS, anxiety, and depressive disorders. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups. Antidepressant agomelatine 25 mg/day was administered to patients of group 1 in addition to standard therapy for ACS; group 2 received placebo. Twenty four-hour Holter ECG monitoring, HRV study, mental status monitoring, and sleep quality assessment were performed during hospitalization and at six-month follow up.Results. Patients of both groups had clinically significant anxiety, subclinical depression, and insomnia of varying severity. According to Holter monitoring data, all patients had decline in HRV parameters. After six months, anxiety and depression significantly improved in patients administered with agomelatine; these patients had sleep normalization and improved HRV. The comparison group did not have similar changes.Conclusion. Additional administration of agomelatine 25 mg/day to patients with anxiety and depressive disorders after ACS resulted in improvement of mental status, heart rate variability, and sleep quality. Due to the absence of pro-arrhythmogenic effects, administration of agomelatine allows to correct anxiety-depressive disorders in patients with ACS.