Researchers discover that antidepressants significantly increase the risk of gastrointestinal and intracranial bleeding



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CHICAGO, January 30, 2019 / PRNewswire / – Patients on antidepressants clbadified as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are 40% more likely to develop severe gastrointestinal bleeding, especially when they also use common over-the-counter pain relievers , according to a research report. in The journal of the American Association of Osteopathy.

Nearly 13% of Americans aged 12 and older take an antidepressant, and SSRIs are among the most commonly prescribed medications because they are relatively inexpensive, effective and safe. However, they also entail risks of gastrointestinal and intracranial bleeding that compose it when they are taken with other drugs.

The most common and worrying interactions occur with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve), anticoagulants such as warfarin (Coumadin), or antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin and clopidogrel (Plavix).

"The real risk comes from the badumption that each of these drugs is relatively safe and safe, but they all carry a risk of bleeding, and this risk increases when these drugs are taken at the same time," said Dr. 39, principal author. Wei Cheng Yuet, PharmD, badistant professor of pharmacotherapy at University of North Texas Health Sciences Center. Although gastrointestinal bleeding is the most common, in rare cases patients may develop intracranial bleeding, which is a life-threatening event.

SSRIs are used to treat major depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. A significant portion of SSRI orders is written by primary care physicians.

Yuet says the risk of bleeding is well established but not well known to patients. She encourages physicians to make a complete inventory of the drugs their patients take, including over-the-counter NSAIDs.

"Whenever doctors discover that their patients are taking a combination of these medications, they should begin to badess the risks and benefits, as well as determine if there are any alternative treatment plans," he said. Yuet. "For example, doctors should periodically evaluate the use of antidepressants, even when patients are on stable treatment."

For Yuet, it is also important that doctors explain to their patients how to recognize the symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding, such as bright red blood in stools or dark, tarry stools. She also recommends that physicians closely monitor their patients for symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding during the first 30 days of SSRI treatment, particularly if patients are taking medications that may increase the risk of bleeding.

Sure The journal of the American Association of Osteopathy

The Journal of the American Association of Osteopathy (JAOA) is the official scientific publication of the American Osteopathic Association. Edited by Robert Orenstein, DO, it is the first scholarly publication of the medical profession in osteopathy, with a reading committee. the JAOAThe mission of the company is to advance medicine through the publication of peer-reviewed osteopathic research.

SOURCE American Association of Osteopathy

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