OBJECTIVES Prolongation of the QT interval is a risk factor for sudden death. Selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor antidepressants can prolong the QT interval and are widely used by pregnant women. Whether antenatal exposure to selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor causes QT prolongation in offspring is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of maternal use of selective s...

It has been hypothesised that the perception of adverse events in placebo-controlled antidepressant clinical trials may induce patients to conclude that they have been randomized to the active arm of the trial, leading to the breaking of blind. This may enhance the expectancies for improvement and the therapeutic response. The main objective of this study is to test the hypothesis that the effi...

BACKGROUND Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the most important regulatory proteins in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). Increasing numbers of studies have reported the relationship between serum/plasma BDNF and antidepressants (ADs). However, the potential effects of several classes of antidepressants on BDNF concentrations are not well known. Hence, our ...

BACKGROUND Despite adequate treatment with antipsychotics, a substantial number of patients with schizophrenia demonstrate only suboptimal clinical outcome. To overcome this challenge, various psychopharmacological combination strategies have been used, including antidepressants added to antipsychotics. METHODS To analyze the efficacy of add-on antidepressants for the treatment of negative, p...

BACKGROUND Rates of prescription drug abuse have reached epidemic proportions. Large-scale epidemiologic surveys of this under-recognized clinical problem have not included antidepressants despite their contribution to morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this review is to look specifically at the misuse of antidepressants and how this behavior may fit into the growing crisis of nonmedical u...

Antidepressants inhibit many membrane receptors and ionic channels, including the L-type calcium channel. Here, we investigated the inhibition of calcium current (I(Ca)) by antidepressants in enzymatically isolated rat ventricular myocytes using whole-cell patch clamp. The molecular mechanism of inhibition was studied by comparing the voltage and state dependence of antidepressant inhibition of...

Objective Major depression is a chronic condition. Treatment with antidepressants is often stopped due to long-term side effects. Antidepressants are frequently associated with sexual dysfunction (SD), which can have a negative impact on adherence to treatment and quality of life, although it is often underestimated by clinicians and underreported by patients. The purpose of the present study i...

BACKGROUND Antidepressants are often the first-line treatment for depression in primary care. However, not all patients respond to medication after an adequate dose and duration of treatment. Currently, there are no estimates of the prevalence of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) from UK primary care. AIM To estimate the prevalence of TRD in UK primary care. Design and setting Data were co...

Depression can exacerbate symptoms associated with life-threatening illness and increase disability and distress. In palliative care, depression occurs in a context of multiple symptoms, which complicates detection and treatment. While systematic reviews of antidepressants have been conducted in specific life-threatening diseases, no previous study has synthesized the evidence in palliative car...

BACKGROUND Use of antidepressants during pregnancy has been associated with a low Apgar score in infants but a contribution from the underlying depressive disorder might influence this association. AIMS To estimate the effects of maternal depression and use of antidepressants during pregnancy on low Apgar scores (<7) 5 min after birth. METHOD Register study on all pregnant women in Denmark ...