And some antidepressants are more likely to have this affect than others.
Most antidepressants work by increasing the amount ofserotoninordopamineavailable in the brain.
Serotonin also regulates bodily functions such as digestion, body temperature, hormone production, and the sleep-wake cycle.
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Dopamine is similarly tasked with regulating sleep, urine output, and muscle movement and coordination.
Both serotonin and dopamine participate in the regulation of blood flow.
Serotonin activates nerves that trigger vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels) to slow blood flow.
Dopamine is mainly involved in vasodilation (widening of blood vessels) to increase blood flow.
When antidepressants increase the availability of serotonin, they can inadvertently trigger vasoconstriction.
This, in turn, causes blood pressure to rise.
The effect on blood pressure can increase and decrease in tandem with the concentration of antidepressants in the bloodstream.
Serotonin is mainly produced by nerve cells in thebrainstem.
When reabsorption is blocked, there is more serotonin available to stimulate the pleasure center of the brain.
With this comes the increased risk of high blood pressure.
With that said, not all antidepressants increase serotonin to levels where blood pressure is affected.
Can You Still Use an Antidepressant?
you’re able to still use antidepressant medications if you have high blood pressure.
Finding the right medicationor combination of medicationscan be a trial-and-error process.
The goal of any treatment plan is for the benefits to outweigh the risks.
Lifestyle changes may also be recommended.
Yekehtaz H, Farokhnia M, Akhondzadeh S.Cardiovascular considerations in antidepressant therapy: an evidence-based review.J Tehran Heart Cent.
2013;8(4):169176.
