Treatment Effects on Platelet Calcium in Hypertensive and Depressed Patients

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study aims to determine if treatment with an SSRI antidepressant medication, paroxetine, is associated with cellular calcium response to serotonin, platelet serotonin receptors, and improvement in mood in depressed patients with or without hypertension. It is hypothesized that platelets of hypertensive patients with depressive symptomatology with be hyper-responsive to serotonin. Additionally, treatment with an SSRI antidepressant is expected to produce a down-regulation of the serotonin receptor with an associated reduction in platelet cytosolic calcium response as well as improved mood.

Official Title
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Treatment Effects on Platelet Calcium in Hypertensive and Depressed Patients

Conditions
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Depression, Hypertension

Intervention / Treatment
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* Drug: paroxetine
* Behavioral: ongoing psychological screening


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Subjects for all study groups will be male and between the ages of 25 and 65 Hypertension & Depression Group: Hypertension controlled with an ACE-inhibitor anti-hypertensive; no co-morbid medical conditions known to influence psychological functioning or platelet calcium responses including uncontrolled diabetes, MI or CVA within 6 months of enrollment, secondary hypertension; depression as diagnosed by structured interview and HDRS score of 18; no active participation in another clinical trial; no current suicidal/ homicidal ideation Hypertension Group: Hypertension controlled with an ACE-inhibitor anti-hypertensive; no co-morbid medical conditions known to influence psychological functioning or platelet calcium responses including uncontrolled diabetes, MI or CVA within 6 months of enrollment, secondary hypertension; no active participation in another clinical trial; no current suicidal/ homicidal ideation Depression Group: No co-morbid medical conditions known to influence psychological functioning or platelet calcium responses including uncontrolled diabetes, MI or CVA within 6 months of enrollment, secondary hypertension; depression as diagnosed by structured interview and HDRS score of 18; no active participation in another clinical trial; no current suicidal/ homicidal ideation

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 25 Years
Maximum Age: 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Drug: paroxetine|nan|
|Behavioral: ongoing psychological screening|nan|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Serotonin, Hypertension, Depression