BETA BLOCKERS AND DEPRESSION

Commonly prescribed beta blockers used to treat conditions such as hypertension, angina and migraine do not cause depression, according to a Roselie Bright and Daniel Everitt of Beth Israel Hospital, Boston.

Writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, they cite a number of reports suggesting that use of these drugs was linked to the development of clinical depression, and events such as nightmares, impotence and hallucinations.

Using Medicaid claims from New Jersey between July 1980 and December 1983, Drs Brights and Everitt identified 4,302 patients who had at least one marker for depression: use of antidepressant drugs, in-hospital depression diagnosis, or electroconvulsive therapy. Two control patients were assigned to each case patient, matched for date of first depression marker, birth year, sex, race and nursing home residency status.