Effects of SSRI antidepressant treatment upon mood status and blood pressure reactivity to demand in coronary patients

This pilot study investigated the effect of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor antidepressants (SSRI) as prescribed in clinical practice upon anxiety, depression, and cardiovascular responses to challenge, in post myocardial infarction patients (n = 30). Primary episode patients were psychologically assessed 4 weeks following discharge from hospital and re-assessed 18 months later. Data were collated at re-assessment on reactive blood pressure (BP) responses to four laboratory demand test procedures, a 12 hour period of normal daily activity, and responses to episodes of self-reported stress during this last period. Negative affect and BP reactivity, especially to self-reported stress, were reduced in patients who were taking SSRIs compared with non-users. Depression assessed during the initial early post-hospitalization period, but not at the later period of psychophysiological assessment, predicted diastolic BP reactive changes to self-reported stress.