Low systolic BP linked to anxiety and depression in men in new study

Lower systolic BP in a middle-aged and elderly men was significantly associated with more anxiety and depression events, finds a new Irish study.These subjects were not using any antihypertensive medications.The findings of the research have been published in the journal of Affective Disorders

Anxiety and depression are considered risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), but their relationship to blood pressure (BP) is still uncertain. Lifestyle factors and age-related comorbidities may confound these relationships.

Researchers have found in new Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) that lower BP in middle aged men was significantly associated with higher anxiety or depression events after a follow-up of 4 years. It was revealed that there is negative association between systolic BP with anxiety or depression scores in men but not women.

Further Diastolic BP was not associated with anxiety or depression scores in both men women

The researchers conducted a study to evaluate the associations between BP and anxiety and depression scores in a population aged ≥49 years.

The researchers analyzed

data on 8504 participants from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) for associations between BP and anxiety and depression questionnaire scores, accounting for relevant confounding factors.

The investigators found that

multivariable analyses showed negative associations between systolic BP and anxiety and depression scores, independent of age, body mass index (BMI), marital status, education level, smoking status, alcohol consumption, level of physical activity, self-reported CVDs (≥2) and antihypertensive medication use in men (coefficient=-0.112, P=0.013; coefficient=-0.051, P=0.026) but not in women (coefficient=-0.001, P=0.855; coefficient=-0.005, P=0.556). Diastolic BP was not associated with anxiety or depression scores in either men (coefficient=-0.018, P=0.223; coefficient=-0.001, P=0.924) or women (coefficient=-0.007, P=0.338; coefficient=-0.015, P=0.293) after adjusting for these same confounding factors. After a follow-up of 4 years, lower BP in subjects not using antihypertensive medications was significantly associated with more anxiety and depression events.

The limitations of the research was that time-varying confounding factors may have interfered with our results.

The researchers concluded that lower systolic BP in a middle-aged and elderly population is negatively associated with anxiety and depression scores in men but not women after adjustment for a range of lifestyle factors. These results contrast with the predisposition of anxious or depressed participants to CVDs in later life when decades of unhealthy lifestyles have persisted.

For further reference log on to:

J Affect Disord. 2020 May 23;274:118-125. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.133. [Epub ahead of print]