Association of depression and suicidal ideation among adults with the use of H₂ antagonists

H₂ antagonists are a common class of medications used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease. They can cross the blood-brain barrier and can affect the central nervous system. Studies have reported that the intake of H₂ antagonists may lead to mental confusion, delirium, hallucinations, sleep disturbances, and depression. Using a national database, we examined the cross-sectional association between suicidal ideation and H₂ antagonists. Data were obtained from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2018, in which Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores were used to classify participants who had depression and suicidal ideation. The study population consisted of 13,533 adult Americans with PHQ-9 information, H₂ antagonist use, and all other covariates. The results showed significant associations between the use of H₂ antagonists and depression (P < 0.001) or suicidal ideation (P < 0.001). The covariates of education, race, marital status, poverty income rate, smoking, and a number of comorbidities were also statically significant with both depression and suicidal ideation. A multiple logistic regression model adjusted for these covariates showed that H₂ antagonist users had a 2.94 (95% CI: 2.01–4.32) higher risk of suicidal ideation than non-users. This association was strongest among participants aged 50–59 years. This study shows that suicidal ideation and depression may be caused by several factors, and H₂ antagonist use may be one of them. Further studies should be conducted to increase knowledge about the psychiatric effects of taking H₂ antagonists, especially in long-term treatment.