Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Antidepressant deaths by overdose

M W Battersby1, J J O'Mahoney, A R Beckwith

  • 1Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, Australia.

The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
|April 1, 1996
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

How phenotype guides management of the neuroendocrine carcinomas of the larynx.

The Journal of laryngology and otology·2018
Same author

Role of ancillary techniques in profiling unclassified laryngeal malignancies.

Virchows Archiv : an international journal of pathology·2018
Same author

The Chernobyl thyroid cancer experience: pathology.

Clinical oncology (Royal College of Radiologists (Great Britain))·2011
Same author

The Victorian Gambling Screen: reliability and validation in a clinical population.

Journal of gambling studies·2009
Same author

Self-management and peer support among people with arthritis on a hospital joint replacement waiting list: a randomised controlled trial.

Osteoarthritis and cartilage·2009
Same author

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of upper aerodigestive tract: clinicopathologic study of 78 cases with immunohistochemical analysis of Dicer expression.

Virchows Archiv : an international journal of pathology·2008
Same journal

Diagnostic complexities of autism and psychosis: A commentary on the ANZJP GRADE guidelines for the management of schizophrenia.

The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry·2026
Same journal

Cardiometabolic screening, elevated results and clinical follow-up actions in Ma-ori and non-Ma-ori with psychosis in Canterbury, Aotearoa New Zealand.

The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry·2026
Same journal

Author reply to Letter to the Editor regarding 'Middle childhood profiles of social-emotional competencies and difficulties differentiate risk of health service presentations with adolescent mental disorders'.

The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry·2026
Same journal

Letter to the Editor regarding 'Middle childhood profiles of social-emotional competencies and difficulties differentiate risk of health service presentations with adolescent mental disorders'.

The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry·2026
Same journal

Diagnostic complexity and comorbidity: Implications for identification, outcomes, health care and involuntary treatment.

The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry·2026
Same journal

Defining and measuring psychosocial disability in Australia: Assessment of national surveys and administrative datasets.

The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry·2026
See all related articles

Older antidepressants, particularly tricyclic antidepressants, are a significant cause of suicide deaths. Newer, safer alternatives are recommended for initial treatment of depression to reduce mortality.

Area of Science:

  • Toxicology
  • Psychiatry
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Antidepressant use is common in treating depression.
  • Suicide remains a significant public health concern.
  • Understanding patterns of antidepressant-related deaths is crucial for prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Determine the prevalence of antidepressant deaths in South Australia.
  • Identify the relative frequency of specific antidepressants involved in fatalities.
  • Analyze demographic data of individuals who died from antidepressant overdose.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective case note study of all antidepressant-induced deaths in South Australia (1986-1990).
  • Data sourced from the South Australian coroner's office and toxicology reports.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Inclusion criteria: lethal levels of one or more antidepressants identified in serum or liver samples.

    • Main Results:

    • 71 cases of antidepressant deaths identified; data analyzed for 68.
    • Amitriptyline, Doxepin, and Dothiepin were the most frequent antidepressants implicated.
    • Women were 2.5 times more likely to die by suicide using antidepressants than men.
    • A majority (63%) had a known psychiatric illness, and 45% had a history of suicide attempts.

    Conclusions:

    • Older tricyclic antidepressants represent a significant cause of suicide.
    • Recommends prescribing newer, safer antidepressants as first-line treatment for newly diagnosed outpatients.
    • Safer alternatives offer comparable efficacy with reduced overdose risk.