International Journal of Medical and Health Research

Objective and endpoint: To examine the prevalence of depression in patients with hypertension in patients registered in a team of family medicine in the Health Centre Banja Luka, to examine the effects of gender, duration of hypertension and other factors on the incidence of depression in these patients.

Methods: The survey was conducted in the period from 01 July to 31 August 2016, using a questionnaire and data obtained from medical records of patients. The study included patients treated for hypertension, and they were screened from a manual registry of patients with chronic diseases. Depression level was evaluated using Beck Depression Inventory. Data on age, sex, duration of disease, administrated medications, comorbidities and habits were obtained from the medical records of patients.

Results: The study included 200 patients, 79 (39.5%) males and 121 (60.5%) females, 70 (35.0%) patients were ≤ 65 years and 130 (65.0%) > 65 years. Most patients - 109 (54.5%) have been treated for hypertension <10 years, current smokers were 31 (15.5%) and 60 patients (30.0%) were obese with BMI ≥30.0 kg/m2. Out of 200 patients, 108 (54.0%) did not have depression, mild depression was found in 58 (29.0%), moderate depression in 21 (10.5%), and severe depression in 13 (6.5%) patients. The symptoms of depression were statistically significantly (P < 0.000) more severe in female patients, and depression was statistically significantly (P < 0.002) more expressed in patients with prolonged disease.

Conclusion: The survey showed that some degree of depression was present in almost half (46.0%) of patients treated for hypertension. The research results show the importance of family doctors in the identification and early detection of patients with depression, and timely treatment of patients.