Venlafaxine Doesn't Confer Excess Risk for Sudden Cardiac Death

The results of observational studies conducted in the U.K. suggest that venlafaxine, a selective serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), is more toxic and is more likely to cause overdose deaths than are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), presumably due to greater cardiotoxicity. Based on these data, the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency advises against venlafaxine use in patients who are at risk for ventricular arrhythmias or have uncontrolled hypertension. However, because these studies were not controlled for potential confounders, researchers conducted a population-based nested case-control study to assess whether venlafaxine, compared with other antidepressants, is associated with excess…