Anxiety and depression as predictors of cardiovascular outcomes after cardiac surgery

We read the article by Williams et al,¹ who curiously suggest that the relation between pre-existing anxiety and cardiac surgery outcomes has not been clearly defined, in fact referring to a past "failure to consider depression and anxiety simultaneously." Putting the alleged "past failure" in appropriate context, several studies published during the past 6 years have elucidated the simultaneous role of anxiety and depression with respect to various cardiac surgery outcomes.