Prevalence of anxiety and depression among hypertensive patients: a systematic review

Abstract

Hypertension is the elevation in the blood pressure level, and it is responsible for cardiovascular diseases. Depression and anxiety diseases are the most common mental disorders globally. Depression is common among patients with chronic disorders, including hypertension, and there are conflicts regarding the correlation between hypertension and anxiety. To assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression among hypertensive patients. PubMed and Google Scholar databases were searched for articles on the current subject starting from 2017 to 2021. The included searching terms included \"Prevalence of depression and hypertension, Prevalence of anxiety and hypertension, Anxiety among hypertensive patients, Depression among hypertensive patients.\" The inclusion criteria included full original articles conducted on patients with hypertension and assessed the prevalence of anxiety, depression, or both. We obtained 70 articles; only 10 articles were eligible for the inclusion criteria. The 10 studies included a total number of 2,581 participants and covered 6 countries. The findings of this systematic review showed that the overall prevalence of depression and anxiety ranged from 57.3% to 77.8%. The most-reported factors associated with the prevalence of depression and anxiety among hypertensive patients included gender and educational level. The prevalence of depression and anxiety among hypertensive patients varied based on several factors and the stage of hypertension; however, they were highly prevalent in general. Adequate control of blood pressure is necessary.