Comparison of depression rates between subjects with and without hypertension

Hypertension, one of the most important public health problems in the world, is the main risk factor for heart disease. Depression is the common comorbid psychiatric disorder among patients with chronic physical diseases. This study aimed to compare depression between hypertensive patients and normal individuals.

In a case-control study, 143 consecutive patients with hypertension were selected according to inclusion criteria. Patients were matched with a normal group selected from their family. Data was collected using a demographic questionnaire and Beck depression scale. The collected data was then analyzed by Mann-Whitney and chi-square tests.

Mild to severe degrees of depression were observed in 59.4% of hypertensive patients 33.5% of healthy subjects. Findings of chi-square test revealed a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.001). In addition, Mann-Whitney test showed significant differences in frequency of depression at three levels of mild, moderate, and severe between the two groups (P < 0.001). Disease duration and severity of depression were significantly related in patients with hypertension (P < 0.001).

Depressive symptoms are more prevalent in patients with hypertension compared to the normal population. Therefore, hypertensive patients need to be monitored for depression and receive psychiatric counseling as necessary.