Increased risk of hypertension in patients with major depressive disorder: a population-based study.

Objective: We conducted this study to detect the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors of hypertension in Taiwanese patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods: The National Health Research Institute provided a database of 1,000,000 random subjects for study. We obtained a random sample of 766,427 subjects, aged ≥18 years in 2005. Study subjects had at least one service claim during 2005 for either outpatient or inpatient care with a primary diagnosis of MDD or with a primary or secondary diagnosis of hypertension and combined with antihypertensive drug treatment were identified. We also compared the incidence of hypertension among patients with MDD and the general population from 2006 through 2008.

Results: The 1-year prevalence of hypertension in patients with MDD was higher than that in the general population (21.21% vs. 13.28%, risk ratio, 1.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-1.28). Compared with the general population, patients with MDD had a higher prevalence of hypertension in all age, sex, insurance amount, region, and urbanicity groups. The average annual incidence of hypertension in patients with MDD from 2006 to 2008 was higher than that in the general population (3.96% vs. 2.90%, risk ratio, 1.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.31). Compared with the general population, patients with MDD had a higher incidence of hypertension in all age, and male groups.

Conclusions: Patients with MDD had a higher prevalence and a higher incidence of hypertension than that in the general population. Age, male gender, and antipsychotic use were risk factors for hypertension among patients with MDD.