Antidepressants linked to GI bleeding

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants increase a person's risk of bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract, especially when the drugs are taken with certain painkillers and steroids, a new study suggests. The study, which included 1,321 patients with GI bleeding and 10,000 "control" patients, found that people who were taking SSRIs had a 60 percent higher risk of GI bleeding than those not taking the drugs. And the bleeding risk was almost five times higher in patients who also took non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroids, and nine times higher in those not taking an acid-suppressing agent.  Read full story >