Sex and Age Differences in the Relation of Depressive Symptoms With Blood Pressure

Sex and Age Differences in the Relation of Depressive Symptoms With Blood Pressure

Por: Mauli T. Shah, Alan B. Zonderman y Shari R. Waldstein.  American Journal of Hypertension, Volume 26, Issue 12, Pp. 1413-1420.

Longitudinal associations between depressive symptoms and blood pressure have been inconsistent. Most studies have examined incident hypertension as an outcome, and few have examined effect modification.
Depression and depressive symptoms are established risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD),1 but the mechanisms underlying this relation are unclear. Hypertension may be a mechanism through which depressive symptoms influence CVD pathogenesis. Prior literature has identified inconsistent longitudinal associations between depressive symptoms and blood pressure (BP).
Results demonstrate sex and age differences in the relation between depressive symptoms and blood pressure. Findings suggest the potential importance of preventing, detecting, and lowering depressive symptoms to prevent hypertension among women and older adults.