Mexican scientists have discovered, through research, that patients with high blood pressure are more likely to suffer from depression, and those whose blood pressure cannot be controlled by medication have an even higher probability of developing depression.
The researchers analyzed a total of 31 hypertensive patients. They first used a standardized medication to control the patients' blood pressure, while measuring their blood pressure every 4 hours for 3 consecutive days. The results showed that the probability of developing depression was 6 times higher in patients whose blood pressure could not be controlled by medication compared to those whose blood pressure could be effectively reduced by the drugs. To enhance the accuracy of the study, the researchers required that the hypertensive patients being observed had no family history of depression and had not taken any drugs that could damage the central nervous system.