ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers were associated with a depression-provoking effect, with rate ratios of 1.29 (95% CI 1.08-1.56) and 1.31 (95% CI 1.14-1.51), respectively.
Observational (n=11,244)
Do cardiovascular medications provoke depression in incident antidepressant users?
Prescription sequence symmetry analysis suggests that ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers may have a depression-provoking effect.
Relative Risk: 1.29 (95% CI 1.08–1.56)
Many cardiovascular drugs have been implicated as causes of depression. With the exception of beta-blockers, few have been studied in formal epidemiologic designs. I present a new approach to such analyses that effectively controls for confounders that are stable over time. I analyzed the exposure histories of 11,244 incident antidepressant users, using the Odense University PharmacoEpidemiologic Database. All persons starting both beta-blockers and antidepressants during a predefined period were identified. If beta-blockers do not cause depression, this particular population should show equal numbers of persons starting either drug first. A depression-provoking effect of beta-blockers would generate an excess of persons starting beta-blockers first, that is a nonsymmetrical distribution of prescription orders. Confounders causing the two drugs to be co-prescribed would rarely be expected to affect the symmetry. The initial screening showed nonsymmetrical prescription orders for a wide range of cardiovascular drugs. After adjustment for an increasing incidence of antidepressant prescribing, I found a depression-provoking effect only for angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (rate ratio = 1.29; 95% confidence interval = 1.08-1.56) and calcium channel blockers (rate ratio = 1.31; 95% confidence interval = 1.14-1.51). This prescription sequence symmetry analysis may be useful as a screening tool.
Jesper Hallas (Sun,) conducted a observational in Depression (n=11,244). Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and calcium channel blockers vs. Symmetrical distribution of prescription orders (starting antidepressant first) was evaluated on Depression-provoking effect (starting cardiovascular drug before antidepressant) (RR 1.29, 95% CI 1.08-1.56). ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers were associated with a depression-provoking effect, with rate ratios of 1.29 (95% CI 1.08-1.56) and 1.31 (95% CI 1.14-1.51), respectively.