Suicide behaviour of patients treated with antidepressants.
Although antidepressants undoubtedly treat depression and decrease suicidality in case of severely ill depressives in the case of good clinical response, there is evidence that antidepressants can worsen depression and can increase suicidality in a very small subpopulation. Some individual case histories were published that of SSRIs can induce suicidal behaviour, mainly at the beginning of the treatment, during akathisia, restlessness and agitation. Some clinical trials suggested that provocation of suicidality could be a serious side-effect of antidepressants. The almost double frequency of suicidal behaviour of patients on antidepressants compared to patients on placebo; it is in sharp contrast with the 2-6 fold lower suicide risk of antidepressant treatment versus untreated patients.
Rihmer
Zoltán
Z
National Institute for Psychiatry and Neurology, Budapest, Hungary. rihmer.z@opni.hu
Gonda
Xenia
X
D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000009:adverse effects; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors