Antidepressant medications and the relative risk of suicide attempt and suicide

Article Abstract:

Individuals suffering from depression may be no more likely to choose tricyclic antidepressants to attempt suicide than other antidepressants, but they will be much more likely to die from overdose if they do. A review of data on drug overdoses from poison control centers, the Drug Abuse Warning Network and the National Prescription Audit found that tricyclics such as desipramine, nortriptyline and amitriptyline were only slightly more often used in suicide attempts than newer, nontricyclics such as trazodone and fluoxetine. However, the risk of death among users of the tricyclics was much higher. Individuals who overdosed on desipramine were 8 to 17 times more likely to die than those who used nontricyclics. Tricyclic antidepressants have serious side effects, including cardiovascular complications and respiratory suppression. Nontricyclics appear to be much safer and may be more appropriate for suicidal patients.

Usage, Causes of, Suicide, Antidepressants, Tricyclic, Tricyclic antidepressants

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A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of desipramine for primary alcohol dependence stratified on the presence or absence of major depression

Article Abstract:

The treatment of depression in alcoholics may decrease their risk of a drinking relapse after a period of abstinence. Researchers treated 26 alcoholic patients with or without depression with the tricyclic antidepressant desipramine for six months, and used placebo in another 25 depressed and nondepressed patients. Compared to baseline, the final Hamiltonian Depression Scale scores for desipramine-treated depressed patients was significantly decreased relative to the placebo group, indicating that the medication reduced depression in this group. The nondepressed groups' depression scores were not significantly reduced. Overall, the time before drinking relapse was significantly greater in the desipramine groups. No significant difference, however, was found between depressed and nondepressed patients in this effect of desipramine on abstinence.

Evaluation, Complications and side effects, Alcoholism, Alcoholic myopathy, Desipramine

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Choosing a First-Line Antidepressant: Equal on Average Does Not Mean Equal for Everyone

Article Abstract:

Doctors should start with the cheapest selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant when prescribing these drugs for patients with depression. However, some patients may have to switch to another SSRI because of side effects or ineffectiveness. This is acceptable because a study published in 2001 showed that many SSRIs are equally effective in most patients.

Health aspects, Editorial, Serotonin uptake inhibitors, Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

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