Key takeaways:
- Sudden cardiac death (SCD) refers to an unexpected death of a person, believed to be caused by a heart-related issue. It occurs within one hour of the onset of symptoms in witnessed cases or within 24 hours of the person being last seen alive in unwitnessed cases.
- Patients with psychiatric disorders have double the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), but the impact of antidepressant medication use has been unclear.
- New study shows 1 to 5 years of antidepressant use increases the risk of SCD by 56% and more than doubles the risk in those using for six years or more.
In new research presented at EHRA 2025, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology, researchers show that, compared with the general population with no history of antidepressant (AD) use, individuals with a history of AD use have an increased risk of SCD, which varies based on age and time of exposure.
The Danish study examined all deaths among residents aged 18 to 90 in 2010, focusing on sudden cardiac deaths (SCD). Researchers reviewed death certificates and autopsy reports to categorize deaths as either sudden cardiac or not. They also looked at individuals who had filled prescriptions for antidepressants at least twice in the 12 years before 2010.
Out of 4.3 million people, there were 45,701 deaths, with 6,002 classified as sudden cardiac deaths. Among those who had used antidepressants, 1,981 experienced sudden cardiac death, compared to 4,021 in the general population who hadn't used these medications. The study found that the risk of sudden cardiac death was higher among antidepressant users across all age groups, except for those aged 18 to 29, where the increase wasn't statistically significant.
Read the full article here.
SOURCE: European Society of Cardiology