E-Mail Drugs such as beta-adrenergic antagonists (beta blockers) have been linked to a range of adverse effects, including depression. But how reliable are these data, and which psychiatric side effects might indeed be caused by these drugs? These questions have been addressed by a team of researchers from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, whose comprehensive meta-analysis has been published in Hypertension*. While treatment with beta blockers was not found to be associated with an increased incidence of depression, some studies recorded higher levels of sleep disturbance. Beta-adrenergic antagonists such as metoprolol or propranolol are among the drugs most commonly prescribed for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Their effect is to slow the heart rate and reduce blood pressure, which is why they are used in patients with heart failure, arrhythmias, and high blood pressure. Beta blockers have repeatedly been linked to an increased risk of depression, but also other side effects such as anxiety, sleep disturbance and hallucinations; these links had not previously been explored in a systematic manner.