Study Finds Antidepressants Significantly Raise Sudden Cardiac Death Risk
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Synopsis
A study reveals that people with a history of antidepressant use are at a higher risk of sudden cardiac death compared to those without such a history, with increased risk linked to age and duration of use.
Key Takeaways
- Increased risk of SCD linked to AD exposure.
- Risk varies with age and duration of use.
- Younger individuals show higher susceptibility.
- Longer exposure equates to greater risk.
- Findings presented at EHRA 2025 congress.
New Delhi, March 30 (NationPress) A recent study conducted by researchers revealed that individuals with a history of antidepressant (AD) usage face a heightened risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) compared to the general population without such a history, with the risk influenced by age and duration of exposure.
In individuals under 39, the primary causes are typically heart muscle thickening or electrical issues with the heart. Conversely, in older individuals, SCD is more frequently attributed to narrowing of the blood vessels that supply the heart.
Prior studies indicated that patients suffering from psychiatric disorders experience a higher overall mortality rate and a doubled risk of SCD across various age demographics.
However, the specific effects of antidepressant exposure on SCD risk have remained ambiguous.
Recent findings presented at ‘EHRA 2025’, a scientific congress organized by the European Society of Cardiology, have established a definitive link.
“The duration of exposure to antidepressants was correlated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death, particularly based on how long an individual had been taking these medications,” stated Dr. Jasmin Mujkanovic, a co-author of the study from Rigshospitalet Hjertecentret in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Participants who had been exposed for six years or longer faced a greater risk compared to those with 1 to 5 years of exposure when contrasted with unexposed individuals in the general population, Mujkanovic further explained.
Among individuals aged 30-39, those with 1 to 5 years of antidepressant exposure were approximately three times more likely to experience sudden cardiac death compared to the unexposed general population. This risk escalated to five times higher for those with six or more years of AD exposure.
For individuals aged 50-59, the risk of sudden cardiac death doubled for those with 1 to 5 years of antidepressant exposure, whereas those with six or more years had a fourfold increase in risk.
The variations in risk associated with different durations of antidepressant exposure diminished in older age groups. For those aged 70-79, compared to unexposed individuals, those with 1-5 years of AD exposure had a 1.83 times or 83 percent increased risk, while those with 6 years or more had a 2.2 times higher risk of SCD.
In individuals aged 40-79, the incidence rate ratio of SCD was significantly elevated among those with 6 or more years of antidepressant exposure compared to those with 1-5 years, as the study demonstrated.
