Blood Pressure Meds, Beta-Blockers May Cause Depression - Ask the Phar... Q: I'm 72 and being treated for hypertension, hypothyroidism and swelling in my ankles. Shortly after I went on for my hypertension, I started having strange dreams and difficulty sleeping all night. The doctor prescribed to help me sleep, but it hasn't seemed to help. Then I started having leg cramps almost every night. The doctor prescribed a muscle relaxant, , but I didn't like the way it made me feel, so I stopped taking it after the second dose. I also take for my thyroid condition and for the swelling.

More on Drug Side Effects

Feeling depressed? It may be the beta-blocker you've been prescribed.


Through all this I have become more and more depressed. My doctor said he didn't think the medications were causing me to feel this way and I would just have to learn to live with it. Is he right? Is it just that I am getting older? Or is it possible that the medications are causing my depression? A: The problems you're having are almost certainly related to the , which is in a class of blood pressure medications called . Many doctors do not know that beta-blockers should not be prescribed to people over 60 with uncomplicated hypertension (high blood pressure without angina or heart failure), especially because they are associated with a higher risk of stroke and other adverse events, including new-onset diabetes and even death. The nightmares, insomnia, muscle cramps and depression that you're experiencing are all telltale side effects of beta-blocker use in your age group. I would recommend that you ask your doctor about changing to a benzothiazepine calcium channel blocker — another form of blood-pressure medication. This would need to be done over five to 10 days to avoid problems related to sudden withdrawal of a beta-blocker. I'm confident that, with this change, you will no longer need the sleeping pill and the muscle relaxant, as they were dealing with problems caused by the metoprolol.

"Ask the Pharmacist" is written by Armon B. Neel Jr., PharmD, CGP, in collaboration with journalist Bill Hogan. They are co-authors of Are Your Prescriptions Killing You?, to be published this year by Atria Books. Also of interest:

Take a Survey About Work and Depression

Tufts Medical Center is developing a new health program for working adults with depression, which is provided over the phone and does not involve medication. By taking a free, anonymous survey online, you may be selected to participate in a research study related to the program. To learn more, visit .
Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures

Close In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails related to AARP volunteering. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly receive communications related to AARP volunteering. In the meantime, please feel free to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.