Women under the age of 55 have a much greater chance of dying from heart disease if they suffer from depression, according to new research.

Younger women tend to be more susceptible to depression, making depression one of the hidden risk factors for understanding why women have a much higher rate of dying from heart disease as compared to men.

Amit Shah, M.D., M.S.C.R., study author and assistant professor of Epidemiology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, analyzed the symptoms of depression in 3,237 people with diagnosed or suspected heart disease. After a follow-up almost three years later, the researchers discovered that every one-point increase in symptoms of depression was associated with a seven percent jump in heart disease in women under 55. The same was not found in women over 55, nor in men.

“All people, and especially younger women, need to take depression very seriously. Depression itself is a reason to take action, but knowing that it is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and death should motivate people to seek help,” said Shah in a statement.

With such findings, the researchers encourage health care providers to ask more questions regarding a person’s mental and emotional state. They also need to be increasingly aware that younger women in particular are more susceptible to depression, which can thereby lead to a higher risk of developing heart disease.

According to the American Heart Association, over one-third of adult women suffer from some form of heart disease.

These findings suggest that younger women could potentially benefit from more specialized considerations.

The findings of the study are published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.