Weighing Risks and Benefits of Drug Treatment for Major Depression

A review published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society analyzed studies to measure the harmful effects of antidepressants for treating major depressive disorder in adults 65 years or older, reports ScienceDaily . The researchers looked at serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) used to treat the acute phase of major depressive disorder. Administering SNRIs resulted in a greater number of harmful events compared to people who took a placebo. Subjects who took selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) experienced about the same number of adverse events as did those who took a placebo. Taking either drug also led to a higher number of people discontinuing the study due to harmful events, while the SSRI duloxetine also elevated the risk of falls. "Future research in this field is critical to better inform how the safety profiles of different antidepressants compare in older adults," concluded University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy Professor Diana M. Sobieraj.