Medications have a variety of side effects. Some drugs can contribute to depression. The elderly are particularly susceptible to depressive risks when taking medication that treats their conditions, according to WebMD.

Moods can change because of medicine or the illness itself. It’s best to talk to a doctor when feeling symptoms of depression from medication. Doctors can discontinue the drug, lower the dosage or provide additional medication that treats depression.

Some of the drugs that may cause depression include Accutane for severe acne, anticonvulsants, barbiturates, benzodiazepines to treat anxiety, calcium-channel blockers for high blood pressure, interferon for cancer treatment, opioids for severe pain, and statins used to lower harmful cholesterol levels, WebMd said.

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Although statins reduce cholesterol levels to prevent the risk or complications of heart disease, the drugs also deplete levels of cholesterol in the brain to affect neurotransmitters, AARP reported.

Beta-blockers prescribed for high blood pressure may have adverse side effects that include sexual dysfunction, fatigue, and depression.

Benzodiazepines are depressants for the central nervous system to relax muscles and treat anxiety or insomnia. The drugs can become toxic in the body if not fully metabolized in the liver and may lead to depression. Seniors are at risk for depression from this medication because they often lack an enzyme that helps metabolize the drugs, AARP explained.

Anticonvulsants are prescribed to treat seizures, mood disorders, neuropathic pain, and bipolar disorder. They block signals to the brain to prevent seizures, but they also affect neurotransmitters, resulting in depression.

Proton pump inhibitors and H2 blockers work to relieve gastric acid in people with acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease, known as GERD. Although certain body processes are blocked to prevent acid reflux, these blockages might cause a defense response that affects the brain and changes moods.

There were 110 different drugs associated with a risk of depression between 1998 and 2011, according to a study published in BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology in September 2014, Everyday Health reported.

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Medication that can change moods includes Chantix, which has been used to stop people from smoking. Possible side effects include anxiety, depression, hostility, and suicidal thoughts, according to the FDA. Depression could be a side effect in contraceptive rings or patches, according to the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in 2010.

The FDA requires that medications linked to depression display warnings. Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, sleep changes, or thoughts of suicide while taking medication should be discussed with a doctor.

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