There are some medications that can lead to an induction of depression as a side effect. Generally, this effect occurs only in a small percentage of people and, in these cases, the medication should be replaced, by the doctor, with another that has the same action, but does not induce this side effect.
The mechanism of action by which these drugs induce depression is not always the same and, therefore, if a person develops depression as a side effect of a medication, this does not mean that it occurs with other remedies that may also have this adverse effect.
The drugs that are most likely to trigger depression are beta-blockers generally used in cases of hypertension, corticosteroids, benzodiazepines, drugs to treat Parkinson's disease or anticonvulsants, for example.
List with some remedies that can cause depression
Some of the remedies that are most likely to induce depression are:
| Therapeutic class | Examples of active ingredients | Recommendation |
| Beta-blockers | Atenolol, carvedilol, metoprolol, propranolol |
Lower blood pressure |
| Corticosteroids | Methylprednisolone, prednisone, hydrocortisone, triamcinolone | Reduce inflammatory processes |
| Benzodiazepines | Alprazolam, diazepam, lorazepam, flurazepam | Decrease anxiety, insomnia and relax muscles |
| Antiparkinsonians | Levodopa | Treatment of Parkinson's disease |
| Stimulating remedies | Methylphenidate, modafinil | Treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness, narcolepsy, sleeping sickness, fatigue and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder |
| Anticonvulsants | Carbamazepine, gabapentin, lamotrigine, pregabalin and topiramate | Prevent seizures and treat neuropathic pain, bipolar disorder, mood disorders and mania |
| Acid production inhibitors | Omeprazole, esomeprazole, pantoprazole | Treatment of gastroesophageal reflux and stomach ulcers |
| Statins and fibrates | Simvastatin, atorvastatin, fenofibrate | Reduced cholesterol production and absorption |
Not all people suffer from depression after treatment with these drugs. However, in case the patient presents symptoms such as deep sadness, easy crying or loss of energy, for example, he should consult the doctor who prescribed the medicine so that he can reevaluate the need for its use or replace the medicine with another that does not provoke the symptoms. same symptoms of depression.
It is important to know that the onset of depression may not be related to the medications the person is taking, but to other factors. For other causes of depression see: Causes of Depression.
