The Risk of Suicide With Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors in the Elderly

The Risk of Suicide With Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors in the Elderly
GPSI000020060519e2510000f
Juurlink, David N; Mamdani, Muhammad M; Kopp, Alexander; Redelmeier, Donald A
6198 Words
01 May 2006
American Journal of Psychiatry

 

Relative to other antidepressants, SSRIs were more strongly associated with suicides of a violent nature (hanging, gunshot, jumping, stabbing, vehicle collision, blunt trauma, explosion, electrocution, and self-immolation) than other antidepressants (Figure 3). A tendency toward violent suicide was apparent only during early therapy with SSRIs, whereas nonviolent suicide was equally common among patients treated with SSRIs and other antidepressants. FIGURE 2. Suicide Risk Among Elderly Ontario Residents After Initiation of Treatment With SSRI Antidepressants Versus Other Antidepressants, by Subgroups.