According to the latest Hypertension Journal Report, common antihypertensive medications may improve blood pressure, but they also worsen mood disorders like bipolar disorder and depression.
In the article, the American Heart Association (AHA) states that beta blockers as well as calcium antagonists may be connected to making mood disorders worse. In contrast, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers may decrease the risk of mood disorders. Research suggests that thiazide diuretics do not affect the risk of mood disorders.
“Mental health is under-recognized in hypertension clinical practice, and the possible impact of antihypertensive drugs on mental health is an area that physicians should be aware of and consider if the treatment of high blood pressure is having a negative impact on their patient’s mental health,” Dr. Sandosh Padmanabhan, study author and professor at the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, said.
The research included data from 525,046 patients between the ages of 40 and 80. Of these patients, 144,066 received treatments for hypertension, using beta blockers, angiotensin antagonists, thiazide diuretics or calcium channel blockers. Another group of 11,936 patients did not receive these treatments.
These four blood pressure medications are among the most commonly prescribed.
