Older adults with major depression often experience adverse effects from antidepressant medications

Older adults with major depression experience often adverse effects from antidepressant medications

A new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality shows people 65 years of age or older with a diagnosis of major depression are at risk for experiencing side effects from some of the most commonly prescribed antidepressant medications. The study, said AHRQ, was conducted by screening previously published research.

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The AHRQ report findings, in brief, include the following:

· Serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) (duloxetine and venlafaxine) cause adverse events more often than placebo and most likely lead to discontinuation of therapy during treatment of up to 12 weeks.

·  Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (escitalopram and fluoxetine) most likely cause adverse events at a similar frequency to placebo therapy but still may lead to discontinuation of therapy during treatment of up to 12 weeks.

·  Duloxetine most likely increases the risk of falls over longer treatment (<24 weeks)

·  Adverse events contributing to discontinuation of therapy were rarely reported in a way that allowed clear characterization of what adverse events to expect.

 “Further characterization of the comparative safety of antidepressants is difficult because few studies were identified, comparisons were based on statistical significance, trials were not powered to identify small differences in adverse events, and observational studies may be confounded,” said the report authors. “Comparative, long-term, well-designed studies that report specific adverse events are needed to better inform decision making in this population.”