Popular Antidepressant Linked With Suicidal Thoughts

Miami, FL (AHN) – A popular antidepressant has been shown to significantly increase the risk of suicidal thoughts in men, according to a new study.

Researchers with Kings College London said in a statement that nortriptyline has been found to cause a 10-fold increase in suicidal thoughts in men when compared to its competitor, escitalopram.

Both drugs affect mood through the mood modulating neurotransmitter systems. Escitalopram is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, which prevents the chemical serotonin from re-entering nerve cells and prolonging the effects on nerve synapses.

Nortriptyline, by contrast, is a tricyclic antidepressant that stops the reuptake of noradrenaline and serotonin.

The researcher said that the results show that SSRIs are not worse than older medications in terms of increasing suicidal thoughts.

The study appears in the journal BMC Medicine.

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