A GLOBAL study on anti-depressant use in which Spain took part has shown that these highly-prescribed drugs are, in fact, safe, even long-term.
Published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, the investigation is 'without doubt the most conclusive' into the long-term safety of various types of anti-depressants, including tricyclic and SSRI medication, according to Dr Eduard Vieta, scientific director of Spain's Mental Health Research Centre (CIBERSAM).
“It shows that, properly used, they provide much greater benefit than risk,” Dr Vieta reveals.
A total of 4,471 case studies and 252 full-text articles with data from 1,012 individual effect-size estimates were used in 45 meta-analyses – or reviews of existing research reports – albeit some of the newer drugs available, such as the Danish-created Vortioxetine, retailed as Brintellix, did not have enough information to hand at present.
But the other most popular types, such as Prozac, Seroxat and Sertraline are said to be 'very safe' with 'no convincing evidence' of major health risks.
According to the JAMA Psychiatry report, typical adverse effects include an increased suicide risk in patients aged 18 and under, pre-term births or autism spectrum disorders in children whose mothers or fathers had taken SSRIs before or during conception or pregnancy, sexual dysfunction, bone fractures caused by acquired osteoporosis, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com