Abstract
Background: The co-existence of depression and hypertension increases the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality than hypertension alone. It is postulated that both these conditions share a common pathway, and understanding the natural history of their co-existence would be helpful for effective management.
Objectives: to assess the prevalence of depression symptoms among hypertensive patients in Taif city, Saudi Arabia, and also to analyze various determinants related to their co-existence.
Methods: Hypertensive patients attending a single tertiary care hospital in Taif city were recruited for our study after taking informed consent and ethical approval from the institution. A pretested proforma was used to collect data from the participants. Data were collected using three methods; the investigator recorded participants' medical history and other clinical findings from hospital records in the first part. The participants themselves filled the second and third parts during their consultation in FM clinics. All data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis by an independent biostatistician.
Results: The prevalence of depression among these hypertensive patients was 27.5%, and 2.5% had a severe form of depression. Middle-age was found to be an independent risk factor for the co-existence of hypertension and depression. Female hypertensive patients had a comparatively higher prevalence of depression (p=0.05). Even though depression was more seen among patients who smoked and didn't do any physical activity, these were statistically not significant.
Conclusion: Considering the high prevalence of depression among hypertensive patients, it is critical to developing screening programs and community education campaigns.