MD Edge ObGyn (8/26, Craven) reports, “Pregnancy and the postpartum period are a ‘very vulnerable time for mental disorders,’ according to” a presentation given by Henry A. Nasrallah, MD, of the University of Cincinnati, at “a virtual meeting presented by Current Psychiatry and the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists.” During the perinatal period, women are at particular “risk for depression and anxiety. Women are also at risk for postpartum depression, particularly women with bipolar disorder, Dr. Nasrallah said.”

Related Links:

— “Pregnancy can be ‘a vulnerable time’ for developing mental disorders, “Jeff Craven, MD Edge ObGyn, August 26, 2020

Healio (8/26, VanDewater) reports that approximately “40% of postmenopausal women may have depressive symptoms,” investigators concluded in a “cross-sectional study” that “included 485 postmenopausal women.” The study revealed that “risk factors for postmenopausal depressive symptoms included being unpartnered, consuming alcohol, requiring chronic medication and having many children.” The findings were published online June 29 in the journal Menopause.

Related Links:

— “Nearly 40% of postmenopausal women may have depressive symptoms, “Kalie VanDewater, Healio, August 26, 2020

Healio (8/25, Gramigna) reports, “A brief mindfulness intervention appeared to reduce stress among health care professionals,” investigators concluded in a small randomized study that “sought to assess the feasibility and efficacy of an abbreviated mindfulness-based self-care program (MBSC) for stress reduction during work hours among health care professionals at a single research hospital.” The study revealed that participants in “the MBSC group exhibited reduced stress levels and anxiety, as well as improved positive affect, state mindfulness and mindful self-care at the end of the intervention.” What’s more, “through follow-up, the MBSC group exhibited sustained reductions in stress, anxiety, trait mindfulness and state mindfulness.” The findings were published online in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Brief mindfulness intervention reduces stress among health care professionals, “Joe Gramigna, Healio, August 25, 2020

Healio (8/25, Gramigna) reports, “Lithium use among older adults was associated with increased risk for renal decline,” investigators concluded after using “linked health care databases from Ontario, Canada, to analyze 2007 to 2015 data of older adults with a mean age of 71 years.” The study team then “propensity-score matched 3,113 lithium users 1:1 to 3,113 valproate users and further examined those with higher or lower concentrations of serum lithium.” The findings of the “population-based cohort study” were published online Aug. 24 in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Lithium may increase risk for renal decline among older adults, ”
Joe Gramigna, Healio, August 25, 2020

HealthDay (8/25, Gordon) reports that despite hints from previous research, investigators found no link “between high blood pressure medications and depression,” even after studying “dozens of commonly used” antihypertensives. In fact, after studying data on some 5.4 million Danes, investigators found that “nine blood pressure” medications “were associated with a lower risk of depression.” Medications that lowered the risk for depression “included: enalapril (Vasotec), ramipril (Altace), amlopidine (Norvasc), verapamil (Verelan), verapamil combination drugs, propranolol (Inderal), atenolol (Tenormin), bisoprolol (Zebeta) and carvedilol (Coreg).” The findings were published online Aug. 24 in the journal Hypertension.

Related Links:

— “Blood Pressure Meds Don’t Raise Risk of Depression, “Serena Gordon, HealthDay, August 25, 2020