Antidepressants and The Heart: The Invisible Risk of Sudden Death
- Lidi Garcia
- Apr 3
- 3 min read
With 1 in 8 Americans taking antidepressants, it has been found that taking them for more than six years has a significantly higher risk, with the risk varying by age. Long-term use of antidepressants may increase the risk of sudden cardiac death, especially in people under age 60. The reasons may include direct effects of the drugs on the heart, depression itself, or lifestyle factors. More research is needed to better understand this relationship.
Long-term use of antidepressants may be associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death, especially in people under age 60.
Sudden cardiac death occurs unexpectedly due to a heart problem, usually within an hour of the onset of symptoms or, in unwitnessed cases, within 24 hours of the last time the person was seen alive.
In younger people, this type of death is usually linked to structural problems in the heart, such as abnormal thickening of the heart muscle or electrical disturbances that affect the heartbeat. In older adults, the most common cause is coronary artery disease, which makes it harder for blood to flow through the heart due to narrowing of the blood vessels.
Studies have shown that people with psychiatric disorders have a higher risk of early death, including a twofold increase in the risk of sudden cardiac death at all ages. However, it was not clear whether antidepressants directly influenced this risk.
New research, presented at the European Society of Cardiology, analyzed data on deaths in Denmark in 2010 and found that people who used antidepressants were significantly more likely to suffer sudden cardiac death compared with those who had never taken the medication.
This risk varied according to the length of time they had been taking antidepressants: those who had used antidepressants for 1 to 5 years had a 56 percent increased risk, while those who had taken them for 6 years or more had a 2.2-fold increased risk.
The researchers looked at different age groups and found worrying patterns. Among people aged 30 to 39, the risk of sudden cardiac death was three times higher in those who had been taking antidepressants for up to five years and five times higher in those who had been taking them for six years or more.
In people aged 50 to 59, this risk doubled with use for up to five years and quadrupled with six years or more. In older groups, the increased risk was still significant, but less pronounced. In people aged 70 to 79, for example, long-term use of antidepressants increased the risk by about 2.2 times.
Scientists still don't know exactly why long-term use of antidepressants may be linked to sudden cardiac death. One possibility is that some of these medications have adverse effects on the heart, influencing heart rhythms or affecting blood pressure.
Another explanation is that depression itself may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, since depressed people tend to have less healthy habits, such as lack of exercise, poor diet, and delay in seeking medical care.
It is also possible that the length of time antidepressant use serves as an indirect indicator of the severity of the patient's psychiatric condition and other underlying diseases.
Antidepressants are now widely used, with millions of people around the world relying on them to manage disorders such as depression and anxiety. Among the most common classes of antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which include medications such as fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), and escitalopram (Lexapro).
Although considered safer than older generations of antidepressants, these medications can still cause side effects and interact with other medications.
The results of this study reinforce the importance of monitoring the long-term effects of antidepressant use and discussing the benefits and risks of prolonged use with healthcare professionals. People taking these medications should not stop taking them without medical advice, but they can talk to their doctor about the possibility of adjusting the dose, changing treatment, or supplemental strategies for mental health.
More research is still needed to better understand this relationship between antidepressants and heart health, but the study already provides valuable information for doctors and patients to make more informed decisions about the use of these medications.
READ MORE:
Use of antidepressant medication linked to substantial increase in risk of sudden cardiac death
ESC Press Office
EUROPEAN SOCIETY OF CARDIOLOGY
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