Anti-depressant use associated with increased risk for hear...( DURHAM N.C. In a surprising finding p...),Health

Even after controlling for such factors as age, degree of heart disease and severity of depression, the researchers found that heart patients taking antidepressant medications had a 55 percent higher risk of dying. Previously, Duke researchers reported that the presence of depression is an important risk factor for heart patients. This new finding of the risk from anti-depressants raises issues about the optimal way to treat depression in cardiac patients, the researchers said.

According to Duke team leader Lana Watkins, Ph.D., the researchers believe their findings add further support for the potential role oft non-pharmocological approaches to treating depression, such as exercise, in reducing the risk of death in depressed heart patients. She said that physicians caring for heart patients who are taking antidepressants should monitor patients closely.

Watkins added that the design of the study prevents definitive conclusions regarding the effects of antidepressant drugs. In the current observational study, patients were not randomized to receive an antidepressant or a placebo drug, therefore characteristics of the patients, such as more likelihood for their depression or their medical condition to worsen, may be responsible for the effects, she said.

Randomized placebo-controlled trials are needed to not only replicate the Duke findings, but to better understand whether antidepressant use is identifying patients likely to have more severe or worsening depression or worsening medical disease during the follow-up period, Watkins added.

"This finding that antidepressant use was an independent risk factor for mortality in patients with coronary artery disease was quite unexpected," said Watkins, who presented
'"/>

Contact: Richard Merritt
Merri006@mc.duke.edu
919-684-4148
Duke University Medical Center
4-Mar-2006