Daily Health Care and Medical Tips

Class of antidepressant medication known as selective serotonin inhibitor withdrawal (SSRIs), can increase the speed of bone loss. Please note that the studies are documented in these findings are still preliminary data and should not be seen as a reason for changing treatment. The results published in the Archives of Internal Medicine June 25,

Dr. Susan Diem, the study’s lead author and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine said the findings were still preliminary stage, people that time use SSRIs should not stop treatment based on these findings. Further research is needed before a conclusion. SSRIs are widely prescribed to treat depression and other disorders and is a two-thirds of antidepressant prescriptions in the United States. These drugs inhibit the proteins that transport of serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in depression and sleep. Serotonin receptor is also found in bone. Diem said, this leads to the question of whether SSRI drugs will have an effect on bone.

The study involved 2722 elderly women with an average of 78.5 years. Total hip bone density and hip bone area was measured both at the beginning of the study and measured again 5 years later. Each time you visit, participants were asked to bring all the medications used during the last 2 weeks. After adjustment for other factors, the researchers found that bone mineral density at the hip decreased 0.82% in women using SSRIs and 0.47% in those taking the older tricyclic antidepressants and who did not use antidepressants. SSRI users also higher speed bone loss in both the bottom of the hip.

Based on the results of this study, not yet known the cause of the difference between the two groups. Dr. Diem said, “We found that the use of SSRI class of drugs associated with increased bone loss rate in the group of older women, but this study did not determine basically whether the drugs themselves are responsible for increasing the speed of bone loss or whether there are other differences between the two groups were responsible for bone loss. For example, depression itself is associated with increased rate of bone loss and those who use SSRIs for depression. Dr Diem continued that this work needs to be confirmed in other populations to determine whether this drug effect on fracture rate.

A second study published in the new edition of Archives of Internal Medicine, involved 5995 men aged 65 and older, found that men SSRI users also had lower bone density at the hip and spine. Total hip bone mineral density 3.9% lower among SSRI users compared with men who did not use antidepressants. Spine density 5.9% lower in SSRI users compared to non-users.

Like the study involving women, no significant difference in bone mineral density among male users of tricyclic antidepressants and who did not use antidepressants. Men trazodone antidepressant users have a bone density similar to those not using antidepressants.