Symptoms of ageing are caused by drugs, new research finds

Many of the problems associated with growing old – falls, unsteadiness and increased risk of stroke – are the direct consequence of taking a prescription drug, and now the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) antidepressants have been added to the list of culprits.

The SSRIs, which include Prozac, are often prescribed to the elderly to help them cope with their depression – but a new study has discovered they are the cause of symptoms, that had been blamed on the ageing process.

The drugs caused premature death, a stroke, a fall or bones fracture, triggered an epileptic fit and hyponatraemia (high salt levels in the blood), researchers from the University of Nottingham have discovered.

The researchers made the discovery after they analyzed the health records of 60,746 patients age 65 and older who had recently been diagnosed with depression. Of these, 89 per cent had an antidepressant drug and 57 percent of these were for an SSRI.

Absolute risks over 1 year for all cause mortality were 7.04% for patients not taking antidepressants at all, and 30.16% taking at least one antidepressant (8.12% for those taking tricyclic, 10.61% for SSRIs, and 11.43% for other antidepressants). According to this article Prozac is the most risky one.

This research proved once more that the common sense wisdom is true: “If you want to leave longer just say “no” to drugs. (Source: British Medical Journal, 2011; 343: d4551 ).