Citation

Waern M, Carlsten A. Psychiatr. Danub. 2006; 18(Suppl 1): 67.

Affiliation

Section of Psychiatry, Goteborg University, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gotenborg, Sweden. margda.waern@neuro.gu.se.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Facultas Universitatis Studiorum Zagrabiensis - Danube Symposion of Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16963964

Abstract

Aim: There is an ongoing discussion as to whether antidepressants increase suicide risk. The question has received little attention in the elderly, despite high suicide rates in this age group. The aim was to determine whether SSRIs and other psychotropics were associated with increased risk of suicide late in life. Methods: 85 cases of suicide among elderly persons (65+) were investigated using the psychological autopsy method. 153 living controls, randomly selected from the tax register, were interviewed using the same questionnaire. Odds ratios for suicide were calculated for the different classes of psychotropic drugs. Results: Psychotropic drugs were widely prescribed to the suicide cases and all drug types were associated with suicide in the unadjusted analyses. After adjustment for appropriate indications, neither antidepressants in general nor SSRIs in particular showed an association with suicide. Antipsychotics, sedatives and hypnotics remained independent predictors of suicide in the multivariate models. Conclusion: We did not find support for the hypothesis that SSRIs increase suicide risk. Symptoms of anxiety and sleep disturbance are common among older persons. The finding that sedatives and hypnotics were associated with suicide needs further exploration.

Language: en