Antihypertensive medication use increased odds of blood pressure control by 72% compared to no medication use in US adults with diagnosed hypertension (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.25-2.35).
Cross-Sectional (n=3,377)
Yes
Are depression and anxiety symptoms associated with reduced antihypertensive medication use and poor blood pressure control in adults with diagnosed hypertension?
In a nationally representative U.S. sample, psychological symptoms like depression and anxiety were not independently associated with poor antihypertensive medication adherence or blood pressure control, whereas consistent medication use remained the primary driver of BP control.
Effect estimate: OR 1.72 (95% CI 1.25-2.35)
Absolute Event Rate: 87% vs 82%
p-value: p=0.001
Background: Hypertension continues to be a major public health burden, with poor blood pressure (BP) control often linked to inadequate antihypertensive medication use. Psychological factors such as depression and anxiety may further complicate treatment outcomes. Objective: The study aimed to examine the associations between depressive symptoms and anxiety-related symptoms with antihypertensive medication use and BP control among United States (U.S.) adults with hypertension. Methods: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2018 were analyzed. Adults aged ≥18 years with diagnosed hypertension were included. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Anxiety symptoms were defined using NHANES mental health questionnaire items that assessed the frequency of feeling nervous, anxious, or unable to control worrying over the past two weeks. Antihypertensive medication use was defined as self-reported current use of prescription medication for high BP at the time of the NHANES interview, and BP control was determined using measured values. Survey-weighted logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted ORs and 95% CIs. The unweighted analytic sample included 3,377 hypertensive adults after excluding participants with missing data on depression score and anxiety symptoms. Results: Among 46,509,348 hypertensive adults, 39,247,780 (84%) reported taking antihypertensive medication. Depression and anxiety were not significantly associated with antihypertensive medication use or BP control after full adjustment. However, antihypertensive medication use was strongly related to BP control (OR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.25-2.35). Conclusion: Psychological symptoms were not independently associated with antihypertensive medication use after adjustment for demographic and clinical factors, but consistent medication use significantly improved hypertension outcomes. Integrating behavioral and clinical strategies may strengthen hypertension management in the general population.
Ugwu et al. (Fri,) conducted a cross-sectional in Adults aged ≥18 years with diagnosed hypertension in the United States (n=3,377). Antihypertensive medication use (self-reported current use) vs. Not taking antihypertensive medication was evaluated on Blood pressure (BP) control defined as mean systolic BP <140 mmHg and diastolic BP <90 mmHg (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.25-2.35, p=0.001). Antihypertensive medication use increased odds of blood pressure control by 72% compared to no medication use in US adults with diagnosed hypertension (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.25-2.35).