It is a terrible reality: among seniors (understand: French people aged 65 and over, men and women alike), one in three drug prescriptions corresponds to antidepressants. However, according to a new study conducted by the University of Eastern Finland these drugs (prescribed in case of depression, but also against anxiety,insomnia and chronic pain) would contribute to the weakening of the bones, which would promote hip fractures …
Finnish researchers carried out their work between 2005 and 2011 with 50,491 elderly people affected by Alzheimer’s disease. The average age of the participants was 80 years: the results obtained by them were compared with those of another group of volunteers, elderly people not affected by the disease.
Results ? Scientists found that in volunteers with Alzheimer’s disease, taking antidepressants regularly was associated with a double the risk of suffering from hip fracture.
Are antidepressants dangerous for the elderly?
Worse: this risk persisted even after stopping treatment, for about 4 years. Scientists point to the most common antidepressants: SSRIs (for “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors” such as Prozac, Zoloft or even Seropram) and SNRIs (for “Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor”: Topalgic, Effexor, etc.).
“If the prescription of antidepressants is sometimes essential in elderly patients with Alzheimer’s disease, we recommend special monitoring (or even parallel treatment) to avoid bone disorders” suggest the researchers, who published this study in the specialist journal International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.
The prescription of antidepressants in the elderly is regularly criticized by researchers around the world: thus, in February 2016, an American study showed that these drugs could cause hallucinations and a “state of mental confusion” in the elderly. Be careful!
