Side Effects of Antidepressants for Women May Increase Risk of Stroke: Study

AboutLawsuits

Add Your Comments

Antidepressant side effects may increase the risk of stroke for women, according to a new study from Harvard Medical School.

Researchers found a “statistically significant” increase in the chance of stroke in older women taking serotonin uptake inhibitors (SSIs) such as Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft in the results of a study published on Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Scientists involved in the study cautioned that although the results indicate that there is a measurable risk increase, the clinical affect of the increased risk is likely minimal for most women.

SSRIs are a relatively new class of antidepressants, which help reduce symptoms of depression by preventing certain nerve cells in the brain from re-absorbing the chemical serotonin. These drugs are commonly used by millions of Americans with depression.

Do You Know about…

Spinal Cord Stimulator lawsuits

Spinal cord stimulator lawsuits are being investigated for individuals who suffered unnecessary shocks, burns or other problems, often resulting in the need for additional surgery to remove the SCS.

Learn More
SEE IF YOU QUALIFY FOR COMPENSATION
Spinal-Cord-Stimulation-Lawsuit
Spinal-Cord-Stimulation-Lawsuit

Do You Know About…

Spinal Cord Stimulator lawsuits

Spinal cord stimulator lawsuits are being investigated for individuals who suffered unnecessary shocks, burns or other problems, often resulting in the need for additional surgery to remove the SCS.

Learn More
SEE IF YOU QUALIFY FOR COMPENSATION

Although the drugs have been found to cause fewer side effects than older anti-depressants, research has shown that users of the drugs could also face an increased risk of suicides, and use during pregnancy has been linked to a risk of birth defects, especially among users of Paxil.

The researchers performed a prospective cohort study of 136,293 postmenopausal women in the Women’s Health Initiative over a 6-year period. Women on antidepressants had a 45% increased chance of stroke and a 32% increase in mortality compared to women not on any antidepressants.

But the overall risk is still low, researchers said, with women on antidepressants having an annual stroke risk of 0.4 to 0.5%. “These findings must be weighed against quality of life and established risks of cardiovascular disease and mortality associated with untreated depression,” researchers said in the study’s conclusions.

Tags: Antidepressant, Birth Defect, Paxil, Prozac, Stroke, Zoloft

More Lawsuit Stories

5 Comments

Marie
I would like to inquire if any elderly person has taken anti-depressants for anxiety and/or depression. Was this senior in a nursing home or assisted living facility? Were they forced to take these drugs? Did that individual have a hemmorraghic stroke while taking Prozac or other SSRI drug? The scientific study indicates that there is a 45% increase in chance of stroke in women.
Theresa
I had a stroke 15 years ago while taking Prozac..Went to 4 different Doctors in 2 years asking for a brain scan. They told me I was too young to have a stroke,Finally I was given two MRI\\\’s that showed a stroke. Since then I have not been the same. called a attorneys office and they told me that they didn\\\’t want to do the paperwork.. this stroke has still affected me..
JAYDEE
I started having strokes 5 years ago about the time I was prescribed Effexor. It was several years before the strokes were diagnosed. despite genetic testing, brain biopsy, you name it no cause has been found. I stopped antidepressants 2 years ago, and have not had a stroke since.
Dena
I am on an antidepressant and I am having severe headaches. I have been in the hospital and they have done an MRI and can find nothing. However……….the pain in my head is so bad that I can’t go to work. I can’t even do any normal things. Does anyone know anything about this causing headaches?
Victoria
I am a 52 yr old woman who has recently (10/12/09) had a stroke. It was a brain bleed which did no major damage EXCEPT for severe clinical depression. The onset of this was delayed, I first weaned myself off Keppra which is known to cause possible deppression. I am now w/out Keppra – but my depression is severe. I recently tried Lexepro and had almost all of the side effects, just after 2 days. I have been reading about anti-depressants and stroke and know there are risks. But I cannot sleep, or eat well and cannot function adequately in general. I am strugglling to find the right balance

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

Share Your Comments

This field is hidden when viewing the form
I authorize the above comments be posted on this page
Post Comment
Weekly Digest Opt-In

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.

MORE TOP STORIES

Olympus Scope Lawsuit Filed Over ERCP Infection from Contaminated Endoscope Device
Lawsuit alleges Olympus failed to address known problems with sterilizing duodenoscopes, leading to a fatal ERCP infection years after federal regulators first raised concerns about the devices.
Boston Scientific Stimulator Lawsuits Centralized in Federal MDL
Federal regulators have centralized at least 23 Boston Scientific spinal cord stimulator lawsuits in a multidistrict litigation that excludes multiple similar claims involving Abbott and Nevro implants.
Depo-Provera Meningioma Side Effects Left Woman With Debilitating Migraines, Lawsuit Claims
A Depo-Provera meningioma lawsuit indicates that a woman suffered permanent and debilitating injuries after needing to have a brain tumor surgically removed.