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Antidepressant treatment is associated with a reduction in suicidal ideation and suicide attempts
Author(s) -
Mulder R. T.,
Joyce P. R.,
Frampton C. M. A.,
Luty S. E.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2008.01179.x
Subject(s) - suicidal ideation , antidepressant , psychiatry , depression (economics) , suicide prevention , poison control , psychology , medicine , medical emergency , anxiety , economics , macroeconomics
Objective: To measure changes in suicidal behaviours during 6 months of treatment with antidepressants. Method: A group of depressed patients ( n = 195) were assessed for suicidal behaviours in the 6 months prior to treatment. They were prospectively assessed for suicidal behaviours during 6 months of treatment with antidepressants. Results: Patients who made suicide attempts fell from 39 in the 6 months prior to treatment to 20 during treatment. Significant suicidal ideation reduced from 47% at baseline to 14% at 3 weeks remaining below this during the rest of the treatment. Twenty patients had emergent suicidal ideation; five of them had not experienced some level of suicidal behaviour in the 6 months prior to treatment. Conclusion: Suicide behaviours are common in depressed out‐patients. Antidepressant treatment is associated with a rapid and significant reduction in suicidal behaviours. The rate of emergent suicidal behaviour was low and the risk benefit ratio for antidepressants appears to favour their use.