According to the study from Denmark published in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal, it has been observed that none of the most common high blood pressure medications increased the risk of depression, while nine medications appeared to reduce it.
Among patients with high blood pressure (also called hypertension), heart disease, and stroke, depression is a common medical condition. This study has systematically investigated the risk of developing depression due to blood pressure medications.
Analysis from the Study
Researchers evaluated real-life data on more than 3.7 million adults who took any of the 41 most commonly prescribed high blood pressure medications. Patients who had been diagnosed with depression or in past prescribed antidepressants were excluded from the Study.
The four main types of blood pressure-lowering medications were reviewed: angiotensin agents (angiotensin-converting ACE inhibitors, enzyme inhibitors, and angiotensin II receptor blockers, or ARBs); beta-blockers; calcium antagonists; and diuretics.
It was found that none of the 41 most common high blood pressure medications increased the risk of depression.
Nine medications which were found to significantly lower depression risk are ramipril and enalapril (angiotensin agents), verapamil, amlodipine, and verapamil combinations (calcium antagonists); and propranolol, bisoprolol, atenolol, and carvedilol (beta-blockers). Researchers found that Diuretic medications showed no impact on depression risk.
The reason behind the decreasing risk of depression may be the mechanism involved in the anti-inflammatory effect among these nine medications. This will help compare the inflammatory properties of these nine hypertensives that lowered depression risk.
Application of the Study
The study’s findings could help guide prescriptions for patients with high blood pressure who are at risk of developing depression, those with the previous history of depression or anxiety, and patients with a family history of depression.
In addition, if a patient is doing well with their current blood pressure prescription, doctors may find no reason to switch. A medication switch may be considered if depression develops, to one of the nine anti-hypertensive medications that lowered depression risk.
Limitations of the study is that it relied on a clinical diagnosis of depression, people were not randomly selected as to what medication should patients receive and effect on depression risk was analyzed for each high blood pressure medication individually rather than testing them side by side or as combinations of one or more other anti-hypertensive medications.