Antidepressants and Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Risks for bleeding were increased with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors but mitigated by proton-pump inhibitors.

Patients who receive selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have elevated risks for upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB), presumably from the effect of SSRIs on platelet aggregation. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) also elevate the risk for UGIB, and proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are often used to mitigate that risk. Whether PPIs would be similarly protective in patients receiving SSRIs has been unclear.

To evaluate the risk for UGIB in patients who received SSRIs alone or in combination with NSAIDs or PPIs, Canadian investigators performed a population-based, case-control study using the Manitoba Population Health Research Data Repository. The investigators analyzed 1552 patients admitted to hospitals for UGIB and 6…

Reviewing Author

David J. Bjorkman, MD, MSPH (HSA), SM (Epid.)

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

David J. Bjorkman, MD, MSPH (HSA), SM (Epid.)

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose