Warning: Depression Medications Increase the Risk of a Deadly Disease

A European study has revealed that taking antidepressant medications increases the risk of sudden death from heart attacks.

The study, published at the European Society of Cardiology Congress last week, confirms that people taking antidepressant medications are more likely to die suddenly from heart disease, and that the risk of death increases with the length of time they take these medications.

The Risk of Depression Medications

"The duration of antidepressant medication use is associated with an increased risk of sudden death from heart attacks," said study leader Jasmin Mukanovic of the Rigshospitalet Cardiology Center in Copenhagen, Denmark.

She explained in statements reported by the medical research website HealthDay that "taking antidepressant medications for six years or more increases the risk of death from heart attacks more than those who take these medications for one to five years, when compared to those who do not take antidepressant medications at all."

Death from Heart Attacks

To draw these conclusions, researchers examined deaths among adults in Denmark throughout 2010, focusing on those taking antidepressants and those who died suddenly from heart attacks.

The study team confirmed that people who took antidepressants for one to five years had a 56% increased risk of sudden death from heart attacks, and that this risk doubled if they took antidepressants for more than six years.

The researchers noted that the risk of sudden death from antidepressant use was higher in younger people than in older people.