Study Finds Link Between Antidepressant Use And Hip Fracture Risks In Older Adults

The use of antidepressants may increase an elderly person’s risk of suffering a hip fracture, according to the findings of new research. 

In a Swedish study published this month in the medical journal JAMA Psychiatry, researchers concluded that individuals over the age of 65 who take a certain type of antidepressant, known as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), face double the risk of suffering a hip fracture.

Researchers studied more than 204,000 people in the Prescribed Drugs Register of Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare, each of which were over the age of 65 and had a prescription for antidepressants filled between July 1, 2006, and December 31, 2011.

Did You Know?

Millions of Philips CPAP Machines Recalled

Philips DreamStation, CPAP and BiPAP machines sold in recent years may pose a risk of cancer, lung damage and other injuries.

Learn More

They were matched by birth year and sex to another control participant who was not prescribed antidepressants. In all, the study included more than 400,000 people over the age of 65. Data was collected for one year before the initial prescription was given and one year after the initial prescription was given.

Researchers noted that treatment with antidepressants was associated with increased risk of hip fracture. Antidepressant users had double the risk of hip fractures compared to those who didn’t use antidepressant drugs. However, the study didn’t prove a cause and effect. Instead it merely showed a link between the two.

This is an association that has been found in prior studies. A 2017 study indicated elderly patients had a 60% increased risk of hip fracture after taking an SSRI.

Researchers speculate that the risk may be elevated simply because an elderly person taking medication has a heightened chance of suffering a fall.

For most adults the side effects of untreated depression outweighs the added risk of sustaining a bone fracture, the authors note. Thus, they recommend doctors weigh the risk and benefits before prescribing antidepressants to patients. Doctors should also carefully monitor older patients taking SSRIs to prevent falls and fracture risk and put into place a solid fall prevention plan, the researchers warned.

Image Credit: |

0 Comments

Share Your Comments

I authorize the above comments be posted on this page*

Want your comments reviewed by a lawyer?

To have an attorney review your comments and contact you about a potential case, provide your contact information below. This will not be published.

NOTE: Providing information for review by an attorney does not form an attorney-client relationship.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

More Top Stories

Gardasil Lawsuits Over Failure To Warn Doctors About HPV Vaccine Risks Cleared To Move Forward
Gardasil Lawsuits Over Failure To Warn Doctors About HPV Vaccine Risks Cleared To Move Forward (Posted today)

A federal judge has cleared Gardasil lawsuits to move forward, after paring down plaintiffs' claims to those alleging Merck either failed to warn, or fraudulently concealed, the HPV vaccine's risks from the medical community.