One-third of common medications can make people depressed
- by Laura Grandis
- in Médecine
- — Juin 14, 2018
Since the drugs are so common, people may be unaware of their potential depressive effects, said the report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
For the study, she and her colleagues collected data on men and women who took part in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2005 and 2014.
Some hormonal birth control pills, heart and blood pressure medications, proton-pump inhibitors, antacids and painkillers were among the more than 200 commonly used prescription drugs that researchers said have depression or suicide listed as a potential side effect. Those who use such drugs are more likely to suffer from depression than those who don't.
And more meds seems to equal more risk: 15 percent of people who took three or more of those medications reported symptoms of depression.
For those using one of the medications, 7 percent said they experienced depression, and for those taking two drugs simultaneously, 9 percent experienced depression.
That doesn't mean that the drugs themselves cause the mood disorder - but it's a good reminder to read the fine print on your pill bottle and share any concerns with your doctor.
While depression is rising as one of the leading causes of disability and suicide rates, health experts say it's important that people who take medications be aware of their side effects and if they have a history of mental health issues.
Is your daily prescription raising your depression risk?
Some of the medication on the list are well known for their depression-like side effects, such as beta-blockers and interferon. Approximate use of antacids with potential depression adverse effects, like proton pump inhibitors and H2 antagonists, increased from 5 percent to 10 percent in the same period.
Use of prescription drugs with suicidal thoughts listed as a potential adverse effect increased from 17 percent in 2005 to 24 percent a decade later, the study said. These findings persisted when the researchers excluded anyone using psychotropic medications, considered an indicator of underlying depression unrelated to medication use. Depression is potentially one of these problems. Use of three or more drugs concurrently increased from 7 percent to 10 percent, approximately.
Roane cautioned, however, "that while a medication may contribute to depression, stopping the drug is not going to be enough to treat the depression".
"The take away message of this study is that polypharmacy can lead to depressive symptoms and that patients and health care providers need to be aware of the risk of depression that comes with all kinds of common prescription drugs - many of which are also available over the counter", said lead author Dima Qato, assistant professor of pharmacy systems, outcomes and policy in the UIC College of Pharmacy.
