Propranolol and Depression: Evidence from the Antihypertensive Trials

The relationship between propranolol and depression is a subject of controversy. Numerous case reports suggest that propranolol can cause depression, but two small prospective trials have failed to confirm this. The contemporary psychiatric literature is divided as to whether propranolol can cause depression. This study addresses this issue by re-analyzing side effect data from clinical trials of propranolol as an antihypertensive agent. A literature review was carried out and the data were analyzed using meta-analytic statistical techniques. Propranolol was found to cause depression as a side effect with a statistically greater frequency than the control medications used in these trials. As other side effects of propranolol include fatigue, diminished energy, decreased libido, anorexia and poor concentration, it is suggested that propranolol is a cause of organic mood disorder, depressed type.