SSRI and Antiplatelet Use Raises Risk of Bleeding: Study

A new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) indicates that patients who take a combination of a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and an antiplatelet like aspirin or Plavix may face an increased risk of bleeding. SSRIs are a class of antidepressants including the popular drugs Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro, Prozac, and Celexa. According to U.S. News & World Report, the study followed 27,058 patients aged 50 years or older and found that the use of aspirin and an SSRI together led to a 42% increased risk of a bleeding episode compared with just taking aspirin alone.

Taking an antiplatelet like aspirin or Plavix presents a small increased risk of bleeding when taken alone, but this chance drastically increased when combined with an SSRI.

Antiplatelets are widely prescribed to patients who have experienced an acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) to prevent blood clots and stave off another future heart attack. Taking an antiplatelet like aspirin or Plavix presents a small increased risk of bleeding when taken alone, but this chance drastically increased when combined with an SSRI. The types of bleeding reported included hemorrhagic stroke, gastrointestinal bleeding or other bleeding which required that the patient be hospitalized or occurred in the hospital during treatment.

In addition to bleeding, SSRIs have also reportedly been linked to serious negative complications, including certain physical SSRI birth defects and autism, and have spurned a multitude of lawsuits. If you bore a child with a birth injury after taking an SSRI during pregnancy, complete the form on the right to find out if you have legal recourse to seek compensation for your child’s condition.