title: Antidepressants and the risk of suicide in young persons--prescription trends and toxicological analyses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess trends in the use of antidepressants among young suicides after the warning that these drugs might increase the risk of suicide.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individual data of all 845 suicides in the 10- to 19-year age group in Sweden in the time period 1992-2003 (baseline), and in 2004-2010 (after the warning). Outcome data are prescriptions of antidepressants prior to death and detections of antidepressants in post-mortem toxicology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the warning, suicide in this age group increased for five consecutive years (60.5%). The increase occurred among individuals not treated with antidepressants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides further support for the hypothesis that the warning, contrary to its intention, may have increased young suicides by leaving a number of suicidal young persons without treatment with antidepressants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Karolinska Institutet, Psychiatry Southwest, Karolinska University Hospital-Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Isacsson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ahlner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001344:Autopsy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012306:Risk; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents
keywords: adolescent; antidepressants; forensic toxicology; suicide