Depression and anxiety among patients on antihyperlipidemic medications: A Saudi cross-sectional study

Antihyperlipidemic medications (AHLM) are widely prescribed, but their potential neuropsychiatric effects have been insufficiently studied in Saudi Arabia. This study assesses the prevalence of anxiety and depression among patients prescribed AHLM. A convenience sampling method was employed for a cross-sectional study conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, involving adults aged 18 years and older receiving AHLM. The study's tools consisted of a questionnaire developed by the research team to assess sociodemographic characteristics, the Arabic versions of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7), and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9). Among 373 participants, the prevalence of anxiety symptoms (GAD-7 score ≥ 10) was 13.94%, while depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10) were observed in 15.82%. Although AHLM use was not significantly associated with the GAD-7 score, it was significantly associated with a high PHQ-9 score in the multivariate model (P = .034). Sleep problems were significantly associated with both anxiety and depression (P < .001). Physical inactivity was associated with higher anxiety and depression symptoms; for anxiety, regular exercise displayed a significant association in the univariate model (β = -0.34; P = .004), and for depression, the association remained significant in both the univariate (β = -0.43; P < .001) and the multivariate models (β = -0.30; P = .005). The findings indicate that AHLM use is linked to depressive symptoms, suggesting the need for routine mental health screening in individuals with risk factors, such as sleep disturbances and smoking.