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The association between use of cardiovascular drugs and antidepressants: a nationwide register-based study

  • Pharmacoepidemiology and Prescription
  • Published:
European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate whether cardiovascular drug classes and specific beta-blockers are associated with antidepressant drug use in a large study population of older people.

Methods

We analyzed data from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register from October-December 2005 for people aged 75 years and older (n = 732,230). Logistic regression analysis was used to study the association between the cardiovascular drugs and antidepressants, after adjustment for age, sex, and number of other dispensed drugs.

Results

All the cardiovascular drug classes were negatively or not associated with use of any antidepressant, non-selective monoamine reuptake inhibitors, and SSRIs, after adjustment for age, sex, and number of other dispensed drugs. However, propranolol was associated with an increased use of any antidepressant, non-selective monoamine reuptake inhibitors, and SSRIs, after adjustment for age, sex, and number of other dispensed drugs. Atenolol was positively associated with non-selective monoamine reuptake inhibitors, although to a lesser extent than propranolol.

Conclusions

None of the cardiovascular drug classes were associated with increased antidepressant drug use, after adjustment for age, sex, and use of other drugs. However, when focusing specifically on beta-blockers, our results indicate that propranolol may be the beta-blocker most closely associated with use of antidepressants in the elderly.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the National Board of Health and Welfare for providing us the data. We also wish to thank Associate Professor Ingemar Kåreholt for statistical advice. This study was supported by grants from the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research and The Swedish Research Council.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Gävlegatan 16, 113 30, Stockholm, Sweden

    Kristina Johnell & Johan Fastbom

Authors
  1. Kristina Johnell
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  2. Johan Fastbom
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Correspondence to Kristina Johnell.

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Johnell, K., Fastbom, J. The association between use of cardiovascular drugs and antidepressants: a nationwide register-based study. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 64, 1119–1124 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-008-0541-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-008-0541-3

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