Is the use of psychotropic drugs associated with increased risk of ischemic heart disease?
Earlier reports of associations between panic disorder, depression, and ischemic heart disease have not evaluated the role of the drugs used to treat these conditions. As part of a larger study on reducing cardiovascular disease in an entire community, we estimated the association between psychotropic drugs and ischemic heart disease in a large community-based population using a cohort study design. We defined exposure as current use of psychotropic medications at the time of the health interview. We determined ischemic heart disease by International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, Clinical Modification, codes and by an epidemiologic algorithm using clinical diagnostic criteria. An elevated risk for clinically significant ischemic cardiac events was moderately associated with benzodiazepine use [relative risk (RR) = 2.0; 90% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1-3.9] and strongly associated with antidepressant use (RR = 5.7; 90% CI = 2.6-12.8), although the latter estimate was based on only six antidepressant users who had an ischemic event.
Lapane
K L
KL
Division of Health Education, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, Pawtucket 02860, USA.
Zierler
S
S
Lasater
T M
TM
Barbour
M M
MM
Carleton
R
R
Hume
A L
AL
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D001569:Benzodiazepines