New research seems to show a tie between low blood pressure and depression as well as high blood pressure and anxiety. It also reveals that antidepressants raise blood pressure.

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Depression was long believed to actually raise blood pressure, but a study published in Hypertension was able to show that it is actually the antidepressant drugs, particularly tricyclic antidepressants, raised blood pressure and increased the risk of hypertension. Over 2,600 participants were used in the study and after accounting for variables such as age, sex and education, they found that patients taking a tricyclic antidepressant has as much as 9% higher systolic and 11% diastolic mean blood pressure. Their risk of stage 1 hypertension was double and triple for stage 2 compared to the control group.

“Doctors should at least be aware of a potential blood-pressure rise that could be linked to TCA use, especially for patients with cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure or others who are at risk for hypertension,” said head author Carmilla Licht of VU University Medical Center.

The study is called “Depression Is Associated With Decreased Blood Pressure, but Antidepressant Use Increases the Risk for Hypertension” and can be found online at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19237679?dopt=Abstract.

Quote retrieved 3/5/09 from http://www.theheart.org/article/945815.do.