Bristol: Long-term use of antidepressants may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, a new study has found. But experts have warned patients not to stop using the medicine.
Researchers at the University of Bristol in the UK have found a link between taking antidepressants over 10 years and increased cardiovascular disease, death from heart disease and premature death from any cause.
Among these drugs, the most commonly prescribed (about 80 percent) were SSRIs. People taking antidepressants were followed for 10 years.
The results showed that people who took SSRIs were 34 percent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, more than twice as likely to die from cardiovascular disease, and 73 percent more likely to die prematurely from any cause. They had increased to a hundred.
All risks were nearly doubled with use of other antidepressants.
The researchers said they cannot say for sure that depression itself is not the cause of the increased risk of heart problems. Other experts agree that people should not stop using a drug because they are concerned about the results of research.
The study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry Open, included data from 220,121 people. Data from people aged 40 to 69 years were taken from the UK Biobank.
