BMJ  2005;330 (19 February), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7488.0-b

SSRIs and suicide: risks seem to be similar to risks with tricyclics

The risk of suicide or non-fatal self harm does not seem to differ significantly in patients taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and those taking tricyclic antidepressants. In a nested case-control study, Martinez and colleagues (p 389) compared the risks in 146 095 people who were prescribed different antidepressants for the first time. They found some evidence of an association between SSRIs and self harm in people aged 18 or younger (adjusted odds ratio 1.59, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 2.50), but could not rule out preferential prescribing affecting the results.

The practical implications of these three studies of SSRIs and suicide are discussed in an editorial by Cipriani et al (p 373).

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Articles

Suicide, depression, and antidepressants

Andrea Cipriani, Corrado Barbui, and John R Geddes
BMJ 2005 330: 373-374. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Antidepressant treatment and the risk of fatal and non-fatal self harm in first episode depression: nested case-control study

Carlos Martinez, Stephan Rietbrock, Lesley Wise, Deborah Ashby, Jonathan Chick, Jane Moseley, Stephen Evans, and David Gunnell
BMJ 2005 330: 389. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

SSRI's and mood disorders

`Madeleine E Keogh
bmj.com, 27 Feb 2005 [Full text]

Online poll

Find out more >>