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Review
. 2003 Sep;28(5):340-7.

Suicidality with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: Valid claim?

Yvon D Lapierre  1
Affiliations
Review

Suicidality with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: Valid claim?

Yvon D Lapierre. J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2003 Sep.

Abstract
in English, French

The red flags raised by the 1990 clinical reports of increased suicidality associated with treatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluoxetine were followed by anecdotal reports of similar symptoms with other antidepressants of the same class. Recent discussions by Healy have argued in favour of a suicidogenic potential of the SSRIs. This paper reviews the relevant literature addressing the epidemiological data of Western populations and the data accumulated from clinical trial databases in several countries. The evidence currently available does not support the hypothesis that antidepressants or, more specifically, SSRIs cause increased suicidality in patients with depression, nor do they appear to do so in patients treated with these drugs for other reasons.

Les signaux d'alarme auxquels ont donné lieu les rapports cliniques de 1990 portant sur une augmentation des tendances suicidaires liée à l'administration d'un traitement à la fluoxétine, inhibiteur spécifique du recaptage de la sérotonine (ISRS), ont été suivis par des rapports isolés de symptômes semblables suite à l'administration d'autres antidépresseurs de la même catégorie. Les analyses récentes de Healy ont soutenu le potentiel suicidogène des ISRS. Cette communication passe en revue les écrits pertinents portant sur les données épidémiologiques s'attachant aux populations de l'Occident et sur les données accumulées dans les bases de données d'études cliniques de divers pays. À l'heure actuelle, les preuves disponibles n'appuient pas les hypothèses voulant que les antidépresseurs (ou plus particulièrement les ISRS) entraÎnent une augmentation des tendances suicidaires chez les patients atteints de dépression ou qu'ils aient cet effet chez les patients qui reçoivent ces médicaments pour d'autres raisons.

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References

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