A new study has found that depression increases the risk of death in patients of heart failure. The study warned that people suffering from depression could have a fatal heart event in next one year.

To save those people's lives, doctors and health experts have started asking their patients whether they need counseling to mitigate the risks of heart failure due to depression. The study was conducted by researchers from the European Society of Cardiology, which works to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease.

Researchers of the study said that depressed patients could die soon, and to mitigate the risks, such people should be screened for signs of depression. According to the researchers, there are a number of factors that could lead to heart failure, but depression is among the most underestimated factors.

Prof. John Cleland, researcher at the Imperial College London and the University of Hull and lead author of the study, said heart failure could be considered as modern outbreak, but drugs are not the only thing that can help a patient.

According to the researchers, patients of heart failure with moderate to severe depression can have about five times higher risk of death than those who are with no or mild depression. Cleland said depression is common in heart failure. It affects about 40% of patients.

During the study, more than 150 were studied. Out them, 27 had mild depression, while 24 had moderate to severe depression. In 302 days, about 27 patients died. The researchers said, "The increased risk of death associated with moderate to severe depression was independent of other health problems and the severity of heart failure."

According to the researchers, the new study has provided a lead into a new way to approach heart conditions, but a bigger study should be conducted to know more about depression and heart failure.