ANTI-DEPRESSANT TREATMENT

Anti-depressant Treatment and Risk of Fatal and Non-Fatal Self Harm in First Episode Depression

Anti-depressant Treatment and Risk of Fatal and Non-Fatal Self Harm in First Episode Depression

The main objective of Martinez et al. (2005, p.2) research was to compare the risk of non-fatal self harm and suicide in patients taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) with that of patients taking tricyclic antidepressants, as well as between different SSRIs and different tricyclic antidepressants. Martinez et al. (2005) identified depression by a set of Read and Oxford Medical Information System (OXMIS) medical terms indicative of depression, bipolar disorder, or dysthymic disorder. They classed severity of depression as mild, moderate, or severe. (Martinez et al. 2005, 389) They also categorised antidepressants into three classes: tricyclic and related antidepressants (amitriptyline, amoxapine, clomipramine, dosulepin or dothiepin, doxepin, imipramine, lofepramine, nortriptyline, trimipramine, maprotiline, mianserin, and trazodone), SSRIs (citalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, and sertraline), and other antidepressants (flupenthixol, mirtazapine, reboxetine, tryptophan, venlafaxine, and the monoamine oxidase inhibitors phenelzine, isocarboxazid, tranylcypromine, and moclobemide).

In this article, Martinez et al. (2005) studied the two outcomes of non-fatal self harm and suicide. They identified cases of suicide from a list of OXMIS or Read medical terms, review of all free text entries for patients who had died of any cause, and death certificates when available (around 60% of cases). Using this information Martinez et al. (2005) assessed the likelihood, the method, and the date of suicide. Martinez et al. (2005) identified cases of non-fatal self harm (drug overdose, deliberate self laceration, poisoning, and non-fatal suicide attempts using other methods) by using relevant OXMIS or Read medical terms and review of the patient's free manuscript remarks.

This article or research standardised the incidence rates for non-fatal self harm and suicide to the UK population in 2001. Martinez et al. (2005) assessed risks associated ...