Common pills linked to depression
COMMON prescription and over-the-counter drugs may be putting millions of people at risk of depression and even suicide.
Blood pressure pills, hormone-based birth control and indigestion tablets can all raise the chance of a patient suffering depression. Scientists found that the risk rose significantly when three or more medicines were taken together. Many doctors believe patients are being ‘overmedicalised’, with little regard for the potentially dangerous side-effects. University of Illinois researchers examined the health records of 26,000 people. They found that 200 commonly-used medicines – including heart pills and acid reflux tablets – have depression or suicide listed as possible side-effects.