Citation

Rihmer Z. Neuropsychopharmacol. Hung. 2013; 15(3): 157-164.

Vernacular Title

Antidepresszívumok, depresszió és öngyilkosság.

Affiliation

Semmelweis Egyetem, Klinikai és Kutatási Mentálhigiénés Osztály, Budapest, Hungary. rihmerz@kut.sote.hu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Neuroline - Hungarian Association of Psychopharmacology)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

24108180

Abstract

AIM: The goal of this paper is to analyse the complex relationship between antidepressants, depression and suicide. METHOD: Review and synthesis of the Hungarian and English language international literature, published on this topic in the last 15 years. RESULTS: Large-scale, retrospective and prospective, naturalistic ("real life") studies show that compared to patients without treatment antidepressants and mood stabilizers reduce the risk of completed and attempted suicide by about 80%. This anti-suicidal potential is significantly higher than the small increase in suicidality of patients taking antidepressants in placebo controlled randomized Phase II/III trials. New data show that based on clinical data this small subgroup can be identified and successfully treated using specific therapy. CONCLUSION: Suicidal behaviour in patients taking antidepressants is mostly the consequence of the lack of antidepressant effect and is rarely the result of suicide-inducing potential of antidepressants. This rare latter case is most frequently the consequence of antidepressant monotherapy of bipolar depression. Appropriate use of antidepressants and mood stabilizers plays a key role in suicide prevention of patients with affective disorders.

Language: hu