Antidepressants account for only 10% of fall in suicide rates among older peopleApril 15, 2008Increased use of antidepressants and decreasing suicide rates: A population-based study using Danish register data The use of antidepressants is likely to account for only 10 per cent of the fall in suicide rates among middle aged and older people, suggests a large study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. Globally, more than 800, 000 people commit suicide every year. Rates have been falling in many countries, a factor that has been associated with better recognition of depression and the increasing use of antidepressants, particularly the newer selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). But research involving more than 2 million Danes aged 50 and above and living in Denmark between 1996 and 2000, throws this into question. The researchers assessed changes in the numbers of middle aged and older people committing suicide during this period and the types of antidepressant drugs they had been prescribed. Only one in five of those committing suicide was actually taking antidepressants at the time of death. Suicide rates in older men fell by almost 10 per 100, 000 of the population during this timeframe, but among recipients of antidepressants, the fall was less than one. For older women, only 0.4 of the 3.3 fall per 100, 000 of the population was accounted for by those being treated with antidepressants. Overall, treatment type made little difference, although rates among men taking SSRIs were slightly higher than among those taking tricyclics. Suicide rates were five to six times higher among those taking antidepressants than those who were not. Previous Scandinavian and US research has suggested that a fivefold increase in the use of antidepressants could lead to a 25% decrease in suicide rates, with SSRIs having saved as many as upwards of 33, 000 lives, say the authors. Sales of antidepressants in Denmark have soared from 8.4 per 1000 of the population in 1990 to 52.2 in 2000. And suicide rates among older people have more than halved from 52.2 in 1980 to 22.1 per 100, 000 of the population in 2000. The authors conclude that current antidepressant treatment accounts for only a fraction of the falls in suicide rates among older people. But they nevertheless suggest that more should be done to pick up and treat depression among older people. BMJ-British Medical Journal |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Related Antidepressants Current Events and Antidepressants News Articles Men leave: Separation and divorce far more common when the wife is the patient A woman is six times more likely to be separated or divorced soon after a diagnosis of cancer or multiple sclerosis than if a man in the relationship is the patient, according to a study that examined the role gender played in so-called "partner abandonment." The study also found that the longer the marriage the more likely it would remain intact. Hunting for the Prozac Gene Prozac works wonders for some depressed people, but not for others. In some cases, patients derive little benefit and at worst, it can lead to bizarre hallucinations and fits of rage. Why antidepressants don't work for so many More than half the people who take antidepressants for depression never get relief. Study reveals an increase in long-term antidepressant drug use A dramatic rise in antidepressant prescriptions issued by GPs has been caused by a year on year increase in the number of people taking antidepressant drugs on a long-term basis, according to researchers from the University of Southampton. Popular antidepressant associated with a dramatic increase in suicidal thoughts amongst men Nortriptyline has been found to cause a ten-fold increase in suicidal thoughts in men when compared to its competitor escitalopram. These findings are published in the open access journal BMC Medicine. Antidepressant and placebo are equally effective in child pain relief When used "off-label," the antidepressant amitriptyline works just as well as placebo in treating pain-predominant gastrointestinal disorders in children, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute. Antidepressants: benefit of SNRI is proven The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) was commissioned by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) to investigate whether patients with depression benefit from taking drugs belonging to the selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) drug class. Worth the effort? Not if you're depressed New research indicates that decreased cravings for pleasure may be at the root of a core symptom of major depressive disorder. The research is in contrast to the long-held notion that those suffering from depression lack the ability to enjoy rewards, rather than the desire to seek them. Almost 1 quarter of Spanish women take antidepressants Psychopharmaceutical use has risen over recent years. This is fact, but what is not clear is the reason why. Antidepressants aid electroconvulsive therapy in treating severe depression Combining antidepressant drugs with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) does a better job of reducing symptoms of severe depression and causes less memory loss than using ECT alone. More Antidepressants Current Events and Antidepressants News Articles |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||