Drug abuse a concern in women with eating disorders

Last Updated: 2006-07-05 16:33:55 -0400 (Reuters Health)

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who have eating disorders often abuse amphetamines, cocaine and other illicit drugs, new research indicates.

"Drug abuse in women with eating disorders is an area of clinical concern and should be monitored routinely throughout the treatment process," advise clinicians who report their findings in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.

The investigators interviewed 136 women with anorexia nervosa and 110 with bulimia nervosa who were assessed for a drug use disorder every 6 to 12 months for about 9 years.

A total of 42 (17 percent) patients had a history of illicit drug use, Dr. David B. Herzog of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and colleagues report.

It is "of interest," they say, that 19 of these women -- 4 of 22 with anorexia and 6 of 20 with bulimia -- started abusing illicit drugs for the first time during the study period.

"Although the absolute numbers are small, these data suggest that the risk for drug use disorder in women with eating disorders continues over time and should be an ongoing part of assessment for these patients," the investigators write.

It's also noteworthy, they say, that of the 19 women whose drug use disorder began during the study, 12 (63.2 percent) had an episode of major depression and 6 (31.6 percent) had a diagnosis of hypomania.

Mood disorders were more likely to occur in participants with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa who also had a drug disorder onset, which confirms earlier studies that have linked mood disorders, eating disorders and substance abuse, Herzog's group reports.

Cocaine, amphetamines, and marijuana were the most commonly abused drugs.

"These data indicate that clinicians should take a careful history of drug use when assessing substance use in patients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa," the authors conclude.

SOURCE: International Journal of Eating Disorders, July 2006.

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Obesity links depression and high blood pressure

Last Updated: 2006-07-05 16:17:55 -0400 (Reuters Health)

By Megan Rauscher

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Research suggests there is a significant association, mediated through obesity, between symptoms of depression and high blood pressure.

Psychological factors are known to be related to high blood pressure and heart disease, lead researcher Dr. Azad Alamgir Kabir commented to Reuters Health. "This study shows a probable pathway between depression and development of (high blood pressure). If we know the causal pathways, we can develop effective prevention techniques," the researcher added.

The researchers studied 1,017 individuals, between 12 and 62 years old, from 561 families participating in the Bogalusa Heart Study. Sixty percent were white and 52 percent were women. On average, the subjects were overweight, but not obese. Roughly one third were presumed to have depression and 13.4 percent had high blood pressure.

In the American Journal of Hypertension, Kabir from Louisiana State University Health Science Center in Shreveport and colleagues report that symptoms of depression were associated with high blood pressure indirectly through an association with increased body weight in both whites and African Americans.

"Since depressed individuals are more likely to be overweight, special care should be taken to address the symptoms of depression in the general population," Kabir said. "Such a technique may also be helpful to develop an effective weight reduction program and subsequently (a high blood pressure) prevention program," the researcher added.

SOURCE: American Journal of Hypertension, June 2006.

Copyright © 2006 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.