Work

Antidepressant-related deaths and antidepressant prescriptions in England and Wales, 1998–2000

Year: 2003

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Deaths from antidepressants continue to account for a substantial proportion of drug-related deaths. AIMS: To investigate the relative toxicity of the major classes of antidepressant drugs, with the specific objective of assessing this in relation to the cause of death; and to analyse the deaths where there were multiple mentions of antidepressant drugs or other psychoactive drugs with antidepressants. METHOD: Mortality data were collected from the National Programme of Substance Abuse Deaths, and antidepressant prescription data were collected. RESULTS: Most deaths from antidepressant drugs were suicides (80%). Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) accounted for more drug mentions than did other antidepressant drugs (12 per million prescriptions). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were associated with a significantly lower risk of toxicity, but 93% of deaths from SSRIs occurred in combination with other drugs, especially TCAs (24.5%). In 'combination' deaths patients were significantly more likely to have had a history of drug misuse. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy and safety of augmentation therapy with TCAs in SSRI-resistant patients should be monitored carefully, and patients prescribed antidepressants should be screened for drug use/misuse.

Source: The British Journal of Psychiatry

DOI: 10.1192/bjp.184.1.41

Authors: Survjit Cheeta, Fabrizio Schifano, Adenekan Oyefeso, Lucy Webb, A. Hamid Ghodse

Institutions: St George's Hospital, St George's, University of London

Language: English

Topic: Suicide and Self-Harm Studies

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

OpenAlex ID: W1998955992