Study finds widespread use of medications with depression as side effect

In all, U.S. adults reported more than 200 different medications associated with depression or suicidal symptoms as adverse effects, said Dr. Qato and co-authors.

The most common, aside from antidepressants, which as a class have a black-box warning for risk of depression, were antihypertensive medications, analgesics, hormonal contraceptives, and proton pump inhibitors. Some are over-the-counter medications that are not labeled indicating depression risk: “Many patients may therefore not be aware of the greater likelihood of concurrent depression associated with these commonly used medications,” Dr. Qato and co-authors wrote.

Dr. Qato reported serving as a consultant for Public Citizen’s Health Research Group, and said she is supported in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. One co-author reported a grant from Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC, to Columbia University Medical Center. 

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SOURCE: Qato DM, et al. JAMA