Use of beta-blockers and depressive symptoms in hypertensive older adults: a multicenter study

Objectives. To evaluate the association between beta-blocker use and the presence of depressive symptoms in older adults with hypertension (HTN). Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among patients from the Central FAP Hospital and the Naval Medical Center. Older adults with a diagnosis of HTN who had been receiving antihypertensive treatment for at least one month were included. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the PHQ-9 questionnaire. Social, clinical, and functional variables were analyzed using bivariate tests (Chi-square and Fisher’s exact test), as well as Poisson regression with robust variance to estimate crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR). Results. A total of 149 older adults were included. Of these, 27.5% were taking beta-blockers, and 39% presented depressive symptoms. No significant association was found between beta-blocker use and the presence of depressive symptoms (PR:1.09; 95% CI: 0.70–1.69; p = 0.693). In contrast, a higher risk of depressive symptoms was observed among patients with greater frailty (PR: 5.72; 95% CI: 2.17–15.0; p < 0.001) and a lower risk among those with technical or university education (PR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.25–0.74; p = 0.003). Conclusions. No association was found between beta-blocker use and depressive symptoms in patients with HTN. Factors such as frailty, educational level, and duration of HTN diagnosis showed significant associations and should be considered in the comprehensive assessment of emotional risk in this population.