Depression drugs may help the heart

Published Jan 15, 2016

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London - People taking antidepressants appear to have a lower risk of a heart attack.

Doctors at Erasmus University in the Netherlands tracked 10 000 men and women for a decade and found that taking an antidepressant reduced heart attack risk by almost a third - 29 percent lower, compared with people who have never had the treatment.

The greatest risk reduction, 35 percent, was seen in people taking antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Previous research has suggested that antidepressants, especially SSRIs, reduce the activity of platelets - the blood cells that play a key role in clotting - and could, therefore, cut the risk of a heart attack.

Daily Mail

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