Adverse Effects of Antidepressant Drugs Revealed Since 2002

Each of the items listed below is a link to the research that supports particular statements.

• Doubled risk of suicidality in all SSRI users under 25. Ten times higher rate of suicidal thoughts amongst men
  • Antidepressant Use, Suicide Risk in Adults Strongly Linked to Younger Age
  • Popular Antidepressant Associated With A Dramatic Increase In Suicidal Thoughts Amongst Men, Study Finds
• Increased risk of violence and aggression, especially linked to Prozac, in children and adults
  • Suicidality, violence and mania caused by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): A review and analysis
• Breast Cancer: Higher risk (especially Paxil), reduced response to Tamoxifan
  • Antidepressant Medication Use and Breast Cancer Risk
  • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in pregnant women and neonatal withdrawal syndrome: a database analysis
  • Antidepressant medications and their association with invasive breast cancer and carcinoma in situ of the breast
  • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and breast cancer mortality in women receiving tamoxifen: a population based cohort study.
• Liver failure – Serzone (nefazadone) withdrawn in European Union and Canada due to deaths
  • Antidepressant-induced hepatotoxicity
• Sleep disturbances in older women
  • Use of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Sleep Disturbances in Community-Dwelling Older Women
• Impaired male fertility-50% damaged sperm lowered testosterone
  • New Study Shows the SSRI Paroxetine May Affect Sperm DNA and Male Fertility
  • Depression Medications May Reduce Male Fertility
• Effexor – increased risk of death from overdose, mostly cardiovascular
  • Venlafaxine (Effexor): concerns about increased risk of fatal outcomes in overdose
• Diabetes – doubled incidence. Females and young children most vulnerable
  • Long-term use of antidepressants for depressive disorders and the risk of diabetes mellitus.
  • Depression symptoms, antidepressant medication use and risk of developing diabetes in diabetes prevention program participants
  • Antidepressant use during pregnancy may lead to childhood obesity, diabetes
• Impaired bone density – double fracture rate
  • Antidepressants Increase fracture risk for older patients
  • Antidepressants Increase Fracture Risk
  • SSRI Use in Older Women Linked to Accelerated Hip Bone Loss
• Increased risk of internal bleeding, especially in the elderly
  • Antidepressants tied to gastrointestinal bleeding
• Evidence of seizures in smokers using Wellbutrin to quit
  • Serious adverse reactions of bupropion for smoking cessation: analysis of the French Pharmacovigilance Database from 2001 to 2004
• Heart attack risk increased
  • Cardiovascular toxicity due to venlafaxine poisoning in adults: a review of 235 consecutive cases
• Toxic or fatal serotonin syndrome when combined with migraine or antimicrobial drugs
  • FDA warns on migraine drugs, antidepressants taken together
  • General population based study of the impact of tricyclic and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants on the risk of acute myocardial infarction.
  • A secondary analysis of a duration response association between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use and the risk of acute myocardial infarction in the aging population.
  • Sibutramine HCL monohydrate linked to risk for serotonin syndrome
  • Serotonin toxicity associated with the use of linezolid:
• Tripled risk of Sudden Cardiac Death in Women
  • Depression and antidepressant use linked to sudden cardiac death
• Tripled risk of Malignant Neuroleptic Syndrome (can be fatal) linked to SSRI’s and SNRI’s
  • Antidepressant labels to carry new warning of life-threatening side effect
• Increased incidence of impaired driving
  • Driving on Antidepressants
• Increased incidence of Restless Leg Syndrome
  • Restless legs syndrome as side effect of second generation antidepressants
• In infants: Doubled risk of birth defects, a six-fold increase in pulmonary hypertension. Slowed growth, convulsions, and other withdrawal effects. Increased risk for heart defects. Increased risk of spontaneous abortion, premature birth. Doubled rates risk of stillbirths.
  • Antidepressants linked to premature birth risk
  • Paroxetine, fluoxetine in early pregnancy linked to heart defects in offspring
  • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in pregnant women and neonatal withdrawal syndrome: a database analysis
  • Small but Significant Risk for Heart Defects Linked to SSRI Use During Pregnancy
  • Two Antidepressants Taken During Pregnancy Linked To Heart Anomalies In Babies
  • Gestational Exposure to Antidepressants and the Risk of Spontaneous Abortion: A Review.
  • Maternal Antidepressant Use Linked to Infant Brain Malformations [Study on nature.com]
  • Fetal Brain Development Affected
• In Children and Teens:
  • Effexor and children: Twice the incidents of suicidality and violence
  • Neuroendocrine-Related Adverse Events Associated with Antidepressant Treatment in Children and Adolescents.
  • SSRI’s increase risk of cardiovascular problems, seizure, insomnia, and headache.
• Greater Risk of Stroke and Death in Postmenopausal Women
  • Postmenopausal Woman and Antidepressants: Deadly Combination?
• SSRIs Boost Risk for Cataracts
• Some Antidepressants Increase Heart Arrhythmia Risk