title: An open-label preliminary trial of sertraline for treatment of major depression after acute myocardial infarction (the SADHAT Trial). Sertraline Anti-Depressant Heart Attack Trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depression occurs frequently in patients with acute myocardial infarction and is associated with increased mortality rates. It is not known whether serotonin reuptake inhibitors would be safe and effective for patients with depression after myocardial infarction and whether such treatment would reduce mortality rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We conducted a multicenter, open-label, pilot study of sertraline treatment in patients with major depressive disorder identified 5 to 30 days after admission for acute myocardial infarction. Outcome measures included cardiovascular and hemostatic function, adverse events, and mood ratings. Twenty-six patients were enrolled in the study. During treatment there were no significant changes in heart rate, blood pressure, cardiac conduction, or left ventricular ejection fraction, and there was a trend toward reduced ventricular ectopic activity. There were no changes in coagulation measures. Bleeding time increased in 12 patients, decreased in 4 patients, and was unchanged in 2 patients. Three (12%) patients withdrew from treatment prematurely because of adverse events. Significant improvements in mood ratings occurred over the course of treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sertraline treatment was associated with clinical improvement and was well tolerated in >85% of the patients in this open-label treatment trial for patients with major depression after myocardial infarction. These results encourage further controlled trials to establish the effects of treatment for this high-risk population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Shapiro
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lespérance
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Frasure-Smith
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dorian
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Glassman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002170:Canada; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D020280:Sertraline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D020280:Sertraline